HISTORY OF HYPOCHONDRIA DISORDER

History of Hypochondria Disorder

History of Hypochondria Disorder

Introduction

Hypochondria, also known as Hypochondriasis is an extreme depression of mind or spirits often centered on imaginary physical ailments. It is also sometimes called health phobia and is referred to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having a serious illness. (Baron, 1987) Its cause is still unknown and persists even a physician has assured patient of being healthy. To conduct the research on this illness, I found an article in a non-science magazine "New York," a peer reviewed journal about this topic and an Internet based journal that is not published in any paper form.

Hypochondria during Ancient Greece Period

The term hypochondria comes from the Greek hypo- (below) and chondros (cartilage - of the breast bone), and is thought to have been originally coined by Hippocrates. It was thought by many Greek physicians of antiquity that many ailments were caused by the movement of the spleen, an organ located near the hypochondrium (the upper region of the abdomen just below the ribs on either side of the epigastrium). Later use in the 19th Century employed the term to mean, “illness without a specific cause,” and it is thought that around that time period the term evolved to be the male counterpart to female hysteria. In modern usage, the term hypochondriac is often used as a pejorative label for individuals who hold the belief that they have a serious illness despite repeated reassurance from physicians that they are perfectly healthy. Hypochondria is sometimes also confused with malingering, an intentional falsification of illness.

In the article, "Listening to Hypochondria," published in New York magazine, the author Mark Levine explains extensively the history of Hypochondria in ancient Greece. The symptoms, affects and the treatment of a hypochondriac individual author has told us is quite unique. He takes a case of a patient naming "Lee Gardon" who is 45 years old and is married believes that he has MS that is multiple sclerosis. Gardon often goes to the doctors to discuss his ailment but he complains that the doctors he sees do not check him comprehensively. (Gallagher, 1982)

Although he looks healthy, yet he feels weak, exhausted, lazy, and respiratory complications. His curiosity reaches new heights when he hears that one of his friends of same age has been diagnosed by multiple sclerosis. He then search on the Internet about the disease became more worried and started to observe his own symptoms. He feels "numbness and tingling" in his arms and legs. He then goes to a neurologist who take the MRI of his brain and finds some spots, which the neurologist concludes that the myelin sheath of the nerves have been damaged which is a sign of multiple sclerosis. His family life has disturbed immensely due to this suspicion of multiple sclerosis. (Allgood, 1990)

The author Mark Levine then explains the history of hypochondriasis. He informs that the term hypochondria came from two words; "Hypo" and "Khondros." Hypo means "under" and khondros means that the cartilage that binds ...