Listening to hypochondriasis and hearing health anxiety

Abstract

Although hypochondriasis is categorized as a somatoform disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition – Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) due to excessive focus on bodily symptoms for at least 6 months, a contemporary conceptualization suggests that hypochondriasis represents an intense form of health anxiety. This article discusses the clinical presentation of hypochondriasis, etiological underpinnings and multiple maintaining factors, including physiological, cognitive and behavioral components. A cognitive–behavioral model of hypochondriasis as health anxiety and the empirically supported treatment based on the model are articulated. Future directions and informational resources are provided for both clinicians and patients.

Keywords::

• behavioral therapy
• cognitive–behavioral therapy
• health anxiety
• hypochondriasis