Hypochondria and Drug Addiction

In an increasingly health-conscious society, it is common to be concerned about our physical well-being. After all, our health is the most important thing we have, and it is normal to worry when something feels wrong. People with hypochondria, however, are trapped in a constant, overwhelming state of anxiety about their health. For some, this manifests in ongoing worry about becoming ill, while others are convinced they are already suffering from significant health problems even if they have no symptoms of illness. If you suffer from hypochondria, you may identify normal bodily sensations or minor symptoms as signs of severe illness despite being perfectly healthy. If you have legitimate health concerns, you may be consumed with anxiety about the progression of your illness or become convinced that your condition is far worse than it truly is. This extreme preoccupation can damage your interpersonal relationships and affect your ability to work.

It is important to note that people with hypochondria are not faking symptoms or acting out for attention. Your fear, anxiety, and worry are very real and propel you to believe that you will experience or are experiencing legitimate health problems. As a result, you may be compelled to seek out diagnoses, undergo extensive medical testing, and even submit to invasive medical procedures in your attempt to identify and alleviate the illnesses from which you believe you are suffering. For some, this results not only in unnecessary physical trauma but in significant medical expenses.

The exact origins of hypochondria are not known, but experts believe that both genetics and environment can play an important role in its development. People who experienced childhood illness, grew up with a parent suffering from serious illness or hypochondria, or who generally tend toward anxious, catastrophic thinking are all more likely to develop the condition. Surviving childhood trauma or abuse may also be a risk factor. For some, however, hypochondria has no easily identifiable root.

Hypochondria results in a cluster of both emotional and behavioral symptoms, including:

• Preoccupation with having or getting a serious illness
• Worrying that even normal bodily sensations indicate illness
• Believing that minor symptoms are the result of catastrophic illness
• Becoming convinced that existing health problems will dramatically worsen
• Finding no reassurance from health tests that show healthy function
• Spending excessive time researching symptoms and health conditions
• Frequently visiting doctor for testing or reassurance
• Avoiding people, places, or activities due to health concerns
• Constantly talking about your health

As the result of your preoccupation with your health, you may self-isolate, and many people with hypochondria develop depression as their fear disrupts healthy emotional function.

Life with hypochondria is painful, exhausting, and often lonely. In order to escape the constant fear that consumes you, you may turn to drugs for solace and relief. While substance abuse may indeed give you a temporary reprieve from crushing anxiety and obsession over your health, it ultimately gives rise to addiction, a real and dangerous health condition that can wreak havoc on your body and mind. Addiction can aggravate your psychological suffering and escalate the anxiety and depression you are seeking to quell, causing a deepening spiral of substance abuse and suffering.

Healing from hypochondria involves disrupting deeply held beliefs and thought patterns that may have been part of your life for years, so it requires specialized therapeutic interventions designed to create meaningful change. When your hypochondria co-occurs with addiction, these therapies must also take into account your substance abuse to create a foundation for complete healing.

Integrated residential drug treatment is considered the gold standard for helping people with hypochondria and addiction find resolution to overwhelming distress and achieve sustainable emotional and behavioral wellness. Your treatment should incorporate a range of modern, evidence-based therapies, including:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Experiential Therapy
• Holistic Therapies
• 12-step support groups

Depending on your individual symptoms, pharmacological options such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications may also be used as part of your treatment plan to alleviate your suffering and allow you to engage more fully in therapy.

Integrated treatment will support you in making the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral changes necessary to break through your health anxiety and your addiction while understanding the overlap between the two. At the same time, holistic and experiential therapies can help you redefine your relationship with your body, a relationship which is often deeply damaged by hypochondria. Rather than seeing your body as a site of potential disaster and a source of stress, you will learn to listen to, honor, and nurture your physical self and establish a trusting, loving relationship with your body. With the guidance of experienced clinicians who understand your unique struggle, you can come to a more realistic understanding of your bodily and psychological experiences, free yourself from the pain of hypochondria and addiction, and create the inner tranquility you need to live the life you truly want.