In one of the episodes of the popular Russian series about the everyday life of medical workers, the main characters were given a lot of trouble by one lady who was inventing hundreds of diagnoses for herself on the fly. The scriptwriters cleverly played up the situation, which made the viewer laugh out loud at this woman with “Kandinsky-Konovalov syndrome” and the doctors’ futile attempts to calm the raging patient. In reality, such a person’s condition will hardly cause a smile.
Nobody likes to be sick. After all, the disease itself is unpleasant, it exhausts a person and carries with it the danger of complications and rather sad consequences. Taking care of your health and taking steps to avoid getting sick is absolutely normal. But when a person begins to be haunted by obsessive thoughts that he is about to be struck by some illness and all his actions become aimed at avoiding this, we can say with confidence that we are dealing with nosophobia. Only a highly qualified doctor can help cope with it - contact a Best Clinic specialist if you begin to notice signs of such an exaggerated fear of the disease in yourself or one of your loved ones.
Coronavirus and nosophobia
The spread of coronavirus throughout the world has brought a huge number of changes to the lives of each of us.
We all began to use personal protective equipment, stopped going to crowded places and began to take personal hygiene much more seriously.
All this, of course, helps protect against coronavirus infection and prevents its spread, however, many of us have begun to experience a strong fear of getting sick, which for some people has developed into a real phobia.
What is a nosophobe afraid of?
Like any phobia, the fear of getting sick can take a wide variety of forms. We will list only some subtypes of nosophobia (the more diseases are discovered, the wider the scope for the imagination of nosophobes - after all, there are more and more diseases known to science).
- Cancerophobia - fear of cancer;
- speedophobia - fear of getting AIDS;
- dementophobia - fear of going crazy;
- Cardiophobia - fear of heart attack;
- cynophobia - fear of rabies from a dog bite;
- Mysophobia - fear of pollution.
There are also “original” objects of this phobia: fear of constipation, hemorrhoids, or even a simple runny nose.
All these fears may seem completely unbelievable and ridiculous to most of us. And yet it is worth remembering that any phobia is a mental disorder. A person does not invent fear for himself - he lives in this reality and truly suffers.
Mysophobe is, in fact, so afraid of getting dirty that when he finds himself in an environment that is dirty, from his point of view, he experiences real panic. He starts soaping his hands endlessly, and getting him, for example, to simply touch the water tap in a public restroom is an impossible task. And a patient with cancerophobia cannot get rid of the obsessive thought that he has a cancerous tumor, does not believe doctors and believes that he is being deceived by hiding the real diagnosis.
Those nosophobes who are “sick” with something that is generally unknown to modern science experience special torment. After all, besides the fact that they are “seriously ill”, no one can help them - after all, there is simply no cure for their illness.
What is nosophobia
Nosophobia is a phobic anxiety disorder, an intense fear of contracting any serious illness.
Due to the pandemic and the huge amount of information related to the epidemic, the number of people suffering from this disorder has increased. Many who were previously able to keep their fear under control by participating in social life and going about their daily routine began to experience real panic attacks during the period of self-isolation and increased information background associated with the disease.
How to distinguish between an adequate desire to protect oneself from the coronavirus pandemic and irrational fear, which is already nosophobia?
What kind of phobia is this?
Nosophobia is a condition in which a person experiences constant anxiety about the possible development of a particular disease. As a rule, the object of fear is a specific disease, but in some cases the patient may experience fear of several diseases at once. Most often, nosophobes “choose” dangerous diseases for themselves that are difficult to treat and can lead to disability or death - this disorder goes “hand in hand” with another fear - the fear of death.
Treatment of nosophobia
Nosophobia responds well to therapy, but do not underestimate this disorder and treat it as something frivolous. This is a rather serious condition that requires timely and qualified assistance from a specialist. Nosophobia is treated both with psychotherapeutic methods and with the help of drug therapy.
Psychotherapeutic uses a variety of psychotherapy methods to help people suffering from nosophobia. The key to successfully combating this condition is timely contacting a specialist and receiving professional help.
What is the reason?
There is no single reason for the development of nosophobia, however, experts identify a number of factors that can become the fertile soil on which a person’s panicky fear of disease grows. As often happens, the phobia may be caused by the patient’s negative life experiences. In the case of nosophobia, this may be a serious illness that the nosophobe himself or someone close to him suffered in the past.
The personality traits of the patient also play an important role - how suspicious, impressionable he is, whether he is prone to pessimism, whether he easily tolerates negative events or, on the contrary, gets fixated on them. Sometimes having a “disease” is a desperate attempt to attract the attention of others. This is especially true for people with low self-esteem.
The accessibility of the Internet also contributed to the spread of this phobia. Today, when the World Wide Web is replete with all kinds of medical resources, we can easily find out everything about any disease. It’s good if this information is used simply to broaden your horizons. But what if a person prone to nosophobia ends up on such a site? He will definitely find a couple of symptoms that he just read about.
Nosophobia - fear of getting sick
As we said earlier, nosophobia is an obsessive, anxious idea of getting sick with a specific disease, such as coronavirus, cancer, AIDS, or any other disease in general. Those who suffer from this phobia develop an exaggerated fear of the disease and are often depressingly impressed by specific cases of the disease.
Here are some of the symptoms of nosophobia:
- Exaggerated constant nervousness before any minor physical sign. The slightest deviation is considered a symptom.
- A person takes extreme measures to avoid contact with germs and viruses.
- Frequent and repeated visits to different doctors, although they may avoid them as a possible source of infection.
- There is a strong worry that the doctor will confirm their fears that they are suffering from a terrible disease and make a diagnosis.
Obsessive fears of infections and diseases become dominant and manifest themselves at the cognitive level (constant thinking about it). There are also emotional symptoms, such as experiencing dysphoric mood due to intense terror, and behavioral symptoms, such as inappropriate medical consultations.
Symptoms, complaints and course of the disease
Every practicing doctor has encountered hypochondriacs in his practice. People with this pathology often present all sorts of complaints, look for many diseases, and do many additional examinations. However, their results are usually absolutely normal.
Hypochondria is divided into 3 types:
1. Obsessive. 2. Super valuable. 3. Delusional.
Patients with the obsessive form are anxious and suspicious, overly concerned about the state of their health, and constantly analyze all the processes occurring in the body. An attack of hypochondria can be triggered by viewing medical advertisements or an ambiguous phrase from a doctor. Patients with the overvalued form have similar symptoms, but they are characterized by an acute psycho-emotional reaction to the slightest physical discomfort (for example, a runny nose). The most complex and severe form of hypochondria is delusional.
It is characterized by: confidence in the presence of an incurable disease, attempts to dissuade are interpreted as “even the doctors have given up on me,” there are attempts to commit suicide, as well as depression, delusions and hallucinations.
Causes of hypochondria
There are many hypotheses and assumptions about the causes of hypochondria. But researchers are unanimous on one thing: hypochondria occurs against the background of a depressive disorder. Scientists have shown that patients suffering from depression experience a significant increase in any complaints for which there is no physical reason.
Hypochondria also contributes to:
- disturbances in the functioning of the cerebral cortex; - distorted perception by the cortex of impulses from internal organs; — initial manifestations of delusional disorders; - a disturbance between the work of the autonomic nervous system (responsible for the autonomous functioning of organs) and the cortex.
How to get rid of the fear of getting coronavirus
In general, 10 tips for reducing health fears can help with fear of illness, and coronavirus in particular.
1. Understand that fear is sold and you are being manipulated.
Panic sells and sells well, and the media knows it. So it's no surprise that every other headline warns you about the "Secret Dangers Living in Your Pillow." Or “The Deadly Dangers of Air Travel” or “Cancer-Causing Toxins in [fill in any name].”
We are safer than we have ever been in the history of mankind, and getting sick from something is not as terrible as it was a hundred years ago. But universal literacy, the emergence of news as entertainment, and the presence of a social feed. networks at hand have turned us into a society driven by phobias, afraid of incurable diseases, the risks of contracting which are relatively low. Understand that the media is trying to get you to read/watch/follow yourself by making you afraid of coronavirus, terminal cancer, and other constant and obsessive cravings. Refuse to be part of this game, and this will answer how to get rid of severe phobias.
2. Assess the real risk.
Yes, there are real health risks that can be avoided relatively easily. And why don’t you do everything possible to reduce them to a minimum, so as not to really get sick? But when you're constantly being told about low-risk but "high-impact" diseases, it's easy to lose perspective on how big the actual risk is. For example, when swine flu broke out, everyone was scared. But it turned out that swine flu is just a flu virus, and not smallpox or leprosy. And getting sick is not so scary. The same mass hysteria followed after the accident at the Japanese nuclear power plant after the tsunami and after any high-profile news event.
Instead of giving in to irrational fears, educate yourself. Find out the real risks and then make decisions accordingly.
3. Protect yourself from the media.
This advice is especially relevant during outbreaks of epidemics and pandemics, such as coronavirus. The coronavirus is being covered daily in the media, which is adding to people's panic. Take a media vacation and just pay attention to what happens to your fear levels. Try this, and then you will understand how to get rid of this fear forever. You might be amazed at how relaxed you'll feel just by giving up daily news for at least a week.
4. Tap into your inner knowing.
Some call it the inner pilot light—that wise, intuitive, body-focused part of you that will tell you whether you really need to worry or whether you can trust your sense of security.
5. Separate yourself from your fear.
We all have fears, especially when it comes to the possibility of getting sick or dying. But it is important to understand that fears arise in the amygdala of the brain, which is responsible for emotions and decision making. Their job is to protect us, but in modern times these fears often harm us more than they protect us.
Make friends with your fear, come up with a name and biography for it. Recognize that this is not you. And when you hear that voice of fear muttering, pat it on the head. Take courage and take steps to improve your health by aligning your nature with the image you desire - in your relationships, in your work, in your sex life, in your spiritual life, in your financial life, in your physical health and everything else. Understanding how to work with your fears will lead to happy relationships and life in general.
6. Push the boundaries of your comfort zone.
It seems natural to always stay in your comfort zone. But the more you go outside of it, the more you learn that areas just outside your comfort zone are probably safe too, and you don't necessarily have to get sick. If you typically relinquish power to your doctor during medical visits, try talking and asking questions about terminal illnesses. If you tend to be risk averse, try something risky (within reason, of course!) Repeated experimentation with testing situations outside of your comfort zone will rewire the amygdala, reduce fear, and help you feel brave.
7. Confirm your courage.
Try affirmations like “I am brave” or “I am in touch with my emotions.”
8. Surround yourself with brave people.
If you are surrounded by fear-driven people who project their fears onto you, it is not surprising that you feel afraid. Try to find brave people and see how their energy affects you. They will show by example how to get rid of nosophobia.
9. Trust the Universe.
As A Course in Miracles teaches, fear is the opposite of love and the two do not coexist. Essentially, by allowing fear to rule your life, you are telling the Universe that you do not trust it and that everything that happens is the highest good for all beings.
Letting go of fear and worry is the ultimate act of trusting that life is okay, that the universe doesn't need you to micromanage your life. That even if you get sick, it is only because the soul is here on this earth to learn something, and illness simply happens to be a means for this lesson. Let go of the steering wheel. Relax. Trust.
10. Talk to a qualified psychologist
While specific phobias do not always require treatment, nosophobia involves the fear of going anywhere where you might be exposed to a specific agent. This can make work, school and life in general difficult.
Therapy can be very useful for Nosophobia. The two main types of therapy used to treat fears are exposure therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Exposure therapy:
This approach exposes you to what you fear in a safe environment, such as getting sick. A therapist will start by helping you develop tools to deal with the distress that comes with thinking about cancer or the coronavirus, such as meditation or relaxation techniques.
Eventually you will move on to confront some of these fears using the tools you have learned to help cope with nosophobia.
This exposure includes watching news about disease outbreaks, reading about various diseases, or spending time with people with the disease if it is not contagious.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Another useful practice is CBT. Although the therapist will include some level of intervention, CBT primarily focuses on teaching you to recognize and challenge irrational thoughts and fears.
The next time you start worrying, you will be able to stop and reconsider whether the thought is rational. Reframing irrational or anxious thoughts can help reduce anxiety.
Another important aspect of nosophobia practice is to help reduce the need to seek confirmation that you do not have a specific disease. A therapist can help you develop better coping tools that you can rely on when you need comfort from others. The good news is that if your nosophobia has become so severe that it prevents you from leaving the house, you can benefit from online psychological therapy. Specialized services, such as Helppoint, will select a specialist for you and provide an environment for communicating with a psychologist online. Via video call or private online chat. At any time and anywhere, as soon as anxious thoughts overcome you, your psychologist will be there and can help.
Constant and obsessive fear of getting sick
Fear is natural, especially with all the information now available on the Internet about different forms and types of bacteria and viruses, parasites and fungi, exotic diseases that you have never heard of before, such as Ebola, those that you have heard of but not from every iron, such as cancer, and, of course, about newly emerging and instantly becoming super popular, such as swine flu, bird flu SARS MERS, and this year’s disease - Coronavirus.
But if all your thoughts and fears are focused on a specific illness and it begins to affect your daily life, emotional health, or ability to function as you usually do, consider seeing a psychologist. Living with extreme fear is not easy, but nosophobia is quite easily curable, especially if it is not neglected, like any other disease, however.
Author: Editorial staff of the Help-Point.net portal
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Treatment of hypochondria
The tactics for correcting disorders are determined by the type of hypochondria. As a rule, treatment begins with various types of psychotherapy (Gestalt therapy, art therapy, psychoanalysis).
Medications are also used - antidepressants, tranquilizers, antipsychotics. If the patient’s symptoms are manifestations of schizophrenia, powerful antipsychotics should be used. In severe cases, hospitalization is required. Sometimes the use of alternative medicine is justified. Most often it acts as a “placebo” effect. However, if decoctions and infusions of herbs help the patient, they can and even should be included in the treatment regimen for hypochondria.
We also recommend reading the article about Haloperidol.
Phobia of getting sick
The term "phobia" means a strong obsessive experience and is directed towards a person, an object that may or may not be dangerous. A phobia does not depend on real danger. This word comes from the Greek word Phobos, which means panic. In Greek mythology, Phobos, who was the son of Aphrodite (goddess of love) and Ares (god of war), personified fear. Alexander the Great always prayed to Phobos before battle to get rid of his horrors.
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) lists nosophobia under phobias.
DSM-V diagnostic criteria for defining a phobia
- Intense anxiety about a specific object (eg, flying, heights, animals, injections, the sight of blood). Note: In children, the experience is expressed by crying, hysterics, catatonic manifestations or clinging.
- The phobic object almost always causes immediate suffering.
- The phobic object or situation is actively avoided or experienced with intense distress.
- Signs of suffering are not commensurate with the real danger posed by the object or situation and with the sociocultural context.
- Persistent anxiety, fear, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. For example, a person refuses a job that involves constant flying due to fears of flying, or cannot undergo a medical examination using MRI due to claustrophobia.
- Avoidance is persistent, usually lasting for 6 months or more.
