Essays on Hypochondriasis

Question 2

Conformity refers to the operation of matching attitudes, believes and behaviors to the norms of a group (Cialdini and Goldstein). Norms in this case refer to the unsaid and implicit rules that are shared by a given group of individuals and are responsible in guiding the way these individuals interact with others and in the society or a social group. In psychological, the term conformity is defined as the tendency of an individual to follow the rules that are unspoken or social behaviors that are held by the society where the individual belongs. For a long time, researchers in psychology have been ...

The conditions, somatization disorder, hypochondriasis, and body dismorphic disorder belong to a group of illnesses called somatoform disorders. Bodily symptoms are a major component of these disorders. The characteristics of these conditions will be compared and contrasted below. Somatization disorder is characterized by numerous physical complaints related to many organ systems that cannot be explained either by physical examination or laboratory investigations. Hypochondriasis is a condition characterized by pre-occupation with fear of having a serious disease. It is based on individual interpretation of physical sensation as signs of a serious physical disease. Body dyspmorphic disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by a subjective ...

Worried-well patients

Introduction ‘Worried-well’ patients are those are anxious about their physical wellbeing and would be in health centers seeking medical advices or treatments for ailments that cannot be diagnosed. These patients are said to be suffering from hypochondriasis, which is described as a psychological condition of excessive worry about having a serious illness (Reilly & Markenson, 2011). The unbearable condition is attributed by an incorrect acuity of the human body’s condition despite the deficiency of a genuine medical condition. Worried-well patients can thus be categorized as hypochondriacs. They are distressed about any somatic signs they detect no matter their minority. Their conviction ...