8 - Psychosomatic Illness and Hypochondria

Psychosomatic disorders were discussed earlier in the course. They have a relationship to the topic of neurosis as well. Because the mind and body interact, what is happening in the mind can also have an effect on the body. Physical illness may be caused by prolonged mental stress leading to psychosomatic illness. Psycho means mind and soma means body. Emotional factors produce the ailments that often include actual damage to body tissue. Treatment that helps relieve emotional tensions also helps to relieve organic damage. The reverse is also true. Approximately half of all patients under a physician’s care may have illnesses arising from emotional stress or psychosomatic illness.

A hypochondriac is a person who is preoccupied with bodily ailments and who exaggerates every minor symptom or mild discomfort. Hypochondria is different from psychosomatic illness. Psychosomatic illness is actual physical illness that is the outcome of prolonged periods of emotional stress. The person with hypochondria worries that something is wrong with his or her body when there is nothing wrong. For example, hypochondriacs often read about a new illness and decide they have that illness when actually they do not.