D o you often get accused by friends, colleagues or even family members that you have a habit of exaggerat- ing about simple health issues? Do you often rush to your doctor at the the slightest instance of feeling a bit off-colour? And are you constantly worried that you will or already might have developed some seri- ous ailment or disease? If you answered a yes to any of the above the questions, then you might be suffering from Hypochondriasis. DEFINITION Hypochondriasis can occur at any age, but it tends to start during adolescence. Men and women are equal- ly affected it. Consultant physician Dr Monica Goel says, “Hypochondriasis is a disorder where one believes that they are expe- riencing medical illness, either real or imagined. They also believe that the symptoms they can be attributed to serious med- ical ailments. Hypochondriais can lead to severe anxiety and depres- sion in the sufferer.” Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Vasant Mundra says, “In hypochondriasis, a person is preoccupied with various bodily symptoms which he believes are an indicator of a serious disease. He/she typically goes to many doc- tors, and has a huge med- ical file, with almost every known investigation done, and that too repeatedly. He/she is temporarily con- vinced when doctors reas- sure them, but their fears surface again in a short while. SYMPTOMS Dr Mundra says that the symptoms of hypochondri- asis can disrupt the patient’s life, as well as that of his family. They may EFFECT The worries of hypochondriacs can have severe ramifications in daily life. Hingorrany men- tions that they seek out reassur- ance from fami- ly, friends, or health care providers on a regular basis. SUNDAY 6 FEBRUARY 2011 BOMBAY TIMES, THE TIMES OF INDIA 11 V A R I E T Y OBSESSED WITH YOUR HEALTH? Hypochondriasis i.e. preoccupation with one’s imagined illnesses can lead to high levels of anxiety, writes Lisa Antao stop working, may want to change their residen- tial area as it is damp/polluted/dusty. They spend huge amounts on doctors, and often limit their diets according to their own interpretations of what is cold or hot, or what causes acidity or gas. Often this can lead to real nutritional defi- ciencies. The symptoms of hypochondria usually follow a familiar pat- tern. The sufferer will develop an overpower- ing fear of a particular illness or illnesses. Often the fear is out of proportion with the ill- ness based on non-exis- tent symptoms. The opinions of physicians and other medical experts often do not help in controlling the fear says Dr Goel. CAUSES There are a number of reasons as to why a per- son might develop hypochondriasis. Clinical psychologist Seema Hingorrany mentions the following causes: ■ Having learned apparent benefits of being sick, such as receiving attention. ■ Hypochondriasis may occur in an individual who had a childhood illness or had a sibling with a child- hood illness. ■ Hypochondriasis may develop from or be a sign of one of other disorders such as anxiety or OCD. ■ This condition has often been linked to underlying emotional issues such as a preoccupation with death or a life-changing event. ■ Physical or sexual abuse. ■ Poor ability to express emotions. there is a conviction which is delusional that the symptoms was caused by some food, medicine or event, and they often blame a certain person for their condition. The inter- net has led to a huge increase in hypochondria- sis. Access to medical information has caused even the otherwise healthy to suddenly become aware of trivial bodily symptoms, ship with your physician in which one feels comfort- able discussing your con- cerns and trust their eval- uation of your condition. Seek help through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from psychiatrist or psychologist. And exer- cise as it’s not just good for your health, but it also makes you feel better about your health. [email protected] Because they are very pes- simistic in their approach towards life, they general- ly don’t enjoy socially. Personality-wise, hypochondriasis should not be a way of seeking attention from others by pretending to be sick. Repeated absenteeism from work often results in financial difficulties and interpersonal problems. Many patients are preoccu- pied that they have a cer- tain specific disease, such as AIDS, cancer, paralysis, or heart disease. In others, and arrive at alarming diagnosis. They are also then scared of taking treatment for genuine illnesses as they have read up the side effects of medication, says Dr Mundra. COPING Since hypochondriacs spend a great a deal of their time unnecessarily worrying about their health, they need to over- come this pattern of behaviour. Dr Goel sug- gests that firstly develop a close trusting relation- TAKE A CHILL PILL: Don’t worry too much. Eat heathy and exercise T he star anise is botanically known as Illicium Verum. It is dark-brown in colour with eight seg- ments. It has a sweetish licorice taste. Besides, its culinary uses, star anise also has health benefits. Here are some of them: ● In traditional Chinese medicine, star anise is prescribed as an diges- tive aid, promoting health of female repro- ductive organs and for lactating mothers to increase breast-milk secretion. ● The anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties of star anise is useful in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and dry cough. For this rea- son, some cough mixtures con- tain star anise extract. ● Star anise can also be used as for its sedating properties to ensure a good sleep. ● The oil of star anise is useful in providing relief from rheumatism and lower back pain. ● Star anise can also be used as a natural breath freshener. ● Shikimic acid, a com- pound present in star anise is used for prepar- ing drug for curing influenza or the flu virus. ● Linalool, a compound present in star anise con- tains anti-oxidants prop- erties that are very good for one’s overall health. Thinkstock Photos/ Getty Images Thinkstock Photos/ Getty Images Benefits of star anise This flower-shaped, wooden- looking spice is good for health STARRY NIGHT SURPRISE: They are known to aid in good sleep Thinkstock Photos/ Getty Images SEE A DOCTOR: Do not self-medicate as it can be harmful Hig h er t he Percentage , Better t he Matc h ! 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