Editing Hypochondriasis (section)

==Signs and symptoms==
Hypochondriasis is categorized as a somatic amplification disorder—a disorder of "perception and cognition"<ref name="amz" />—that involves a hyper-vigilance of situation of the body or mind and a tendency to react to the initial perceptions in a negative manner that is further debilitating. Hypochondriasis manifests in many ways. Some people have numerous intrusive thoughts and physical sensations that push them to check with family, friends, and physicians. For example, a person who has a minor cough may think that they have [[tuberculosis]].<ref>{{cite book | first1 = Daniel L. | last1 = Schacter | first2 = Daniel T. | last2 = Gilbert | first3 = Daniel M. | last3 = Wegner | date = 2011 | chapter = Generalized Anxiety Disorder | title = Psychology | publisher = Macmillan | isbn = 978-1-4292-3719-2 | chapter-url = https://archive.org/details/psychology0000scha | chapter-url-access = registration | edition = second }}</ref> Or sounds produced by organs in the body, such as those made by the intestines, might be seen as a sign of a very serious illness to patients dealing with hypochondriasis.<ref name="Illness Anxiety Disorder">{{cite book |last1=French |first1=Jennifer H. |last2=Hameed |first2=Sajid |title=StatPearls |date=2022 |publisher=StatPearls Publishing |chapter-url=https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK554399/ |chapter=Illness Anxiety Disorder |pmid=32119286 }}</ref>

Other people are so afraid of any reminder of illness that they will avoid medical professionals for a seemingly minor problem, sometimes to the point of becoming neglectful of their health when a serious condition may exist and go undiagnosed. Yet others live in despair and depression, certain that they have a life-threatening disease and no physician can help them. Some consider the disease as a punishment for past misdeeds.<ref name="Fallon, Brian">{{cite journal | vauthors = Fallon BA, Qureshi AI, Laje G, Klein B | title = Hypochondriasis and its relationship to obsessive-compulsive disorder | journal = The Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 23 | issue = 3 | pages = 605–16 | date = September 2000 | pmid = 10986730 | doi = 10.1016/S0193-953X(05)70183-0 }}</ref>

Hypochondriasis is often accompanied by other psychological disorders. [[Bipolar disorder]], [[clinical depression]], [[obsessive-compulsive disorder]] (OCD), [[phobias]], and [[somatization disorder]], 
[[panic disorder]] are the most common accompanying conditions in people with hypochondriasis, as well as a [[generalized anxiety disorder]] diagnosis at some point in their life.<ref name="Barsky, Arthur">{{cite journal | vauthors = Barsky AJ | title = Hypochondriasis and obsessive compulsive disorder | journal = The Psychiatric Clinics of North America | volume = 15 | issue = 4 | pages = 791–801 | date = December 1992 | pmid = 1461796 | doi = 10.1016/S0193-953X(18)30209-0 }}</ref>

Many people with hypochondriasis experience a cycle of [[intrusive thought]]s followed by compulsive checking, which is very similar to the symptoms of [[obsessive-compulsive disorder]]. However, while people with hypochondriasis are afraid of having an illness, patients with OCD worry about getting an illness or of transmitting an illness to others.<ref name="Fallon, Brian"/> Although some people might have both, these are distinct conditions.<ref name="Fallon, Brian" />

Patients with hypochondriasis often are not aware that depression and anxiety produce their own physical symptoms, and mistake these symptoms for manifestations of another mental or physical disorder or disease. For example, people with depression often experience changes in appetite and weight fluctuation, fatigue, decreased interest in sex, and motivation in life overall.<ref>{{cite web |title=Depression |url=https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression |website=National Institute of Mental Health }}</ref> Intense anxiety is associated with rapid heartbeat, palpitations, sweating, muscle tension, stomach discomfort, dizziness, shortness of breath, and numbness or tingling in certain parts of the body (hands, forehead, etc.).<ref>{{cite web |title=Anxiety Disorders |url=https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders |website=National Institute of Mental Health }}</ref>

If a person is ill with a medical disease such as [[diabetes]] or [[arthritis]], there will often be psychological consequences, such as depression. Some even report being [[suicide|suicidal]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/mental-health|title=Mental Health {{!}} ADA|website=www.diabetes.org|access-date=2019-10-10|archive-date=2019-09-15|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190915223646/https://www.diabetes.org/diabetes/mental-health|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the same way, someone with psychological issues such as depression or anxiety will sometimes experience physical manifestations of these affective fluctuations, often in the form of medically unexplained symptoms.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Gelenberg AJ | title = Psychiatric and Somatic Markers of Anxiety: Identification and Pharmacologic Treatment | journal = Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry | volume = 2 | issue = 2 | pages = 49–54 | date = April 2000 | pmid = 15014583 | pmc = 181205 | doi = 10.4088/pcc.v02n0204 }}</ref> Common symptoms include headaches; abdominal, back, joint, rectal, or urinary pain; nausea; fever and/or night sweats; itching; diarrhea; dizziness; or balance problems. Many people with hypochondriasis accompanied by medically unexplained symptoms feel they are not understood by their physicians, and are frustrated by their doctors’ repeated failure to provide symptom relief.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lecturio.com/concepts/illness-anxiety-disorder/ | title= Illness Anxiety Disorder
|website=The Lecturio Medical Concept Library |access-date=2021-06-24}}</ref>