Hypochondriasis
Hypochondriasis, now commonly referred to as Illness Anxiety Disorder in DSM-5, is a mental health condition where an individual is excessively worried about having a serious illness, despite having little or no medical evidence to support it. The person may frequently visit doctors, seek reassurance, and misinterpret normal body sensations as signs of severe disease.
This disorder stems from underlying anxiety and may be triggered by past illness experiences, exposure to illness in family members, or distorted beliefs about health. Treatment typically includes cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and sometimes antidepressant medications to manage anxiety and intrusive health-related thoughts.