HOMEOPATHY FOR HYPOCHONDRIASIS

Hypochondriasis is defined as a persistent preoccupation with a fear or belief of having one or more serious disease or diseases, based on person’s own interpretation of normal body function or a major physical abnormality. It is also known as illness anxiety disorder

The other important features of hypochondriasis are :

·        Complete physical examination and investigations do not show presence of any significant abnormality.

·        The fear or belief persists despite assurance to the contrary by showing normal reports to the patient.

·        The fear or belief is not a delusion but is instead an example of an overvalued idea. The patient may agree regarding the possibility of his exaggerating the graveness of situation, at that time.

·        A preoccupation with medical terms and syndromes is quite common. The patient tends to change the physician frequently, in order to get investigated again.

The usual age of onset is in the late third decade. The course is usually chronic with remissions and relapses. Obsessive personality traits and narcissistic personality features are frequently seen, in addition to associated anxiety and depression.

Causes

The cause of hypochondriasis  is not known. The important theories are mentioned below:

Psychodynamic theory: Hypochondriasis is believed to be based on a narcissistic personality, caused by a narcissistic libido. Here other parts of body become erotogenic zones, which act as substitutes for genitals. Hypochondriacally focused organs symbolize the genitals. It must be remembered that this is only a theoretical psychodynamic construct.

As a symptom of depression: Hypochondriacal symptoms are commonly present in major depression. In fact, according to some, hypochondriasis is almost always a part of another psychiatric syndrome, most commonly a mood disorder. Thus, hypochondriasis has been visualized as a masked depression or depressive equivalent , though not everyone agrees with this view.

Certain factors may increase the risk of developing hypochondriasis

·        Major life stress.

·        A severe symptom believed to threaten one’s health, e.g., chest pain, memory issues.

·        History of childhood abuse ( physical, sexual, emotional ) or neglect.

·        History of childhood illness

·        Having another mental disorder, e.g., major depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorders, psychotic disorders.

Symptoms

Symptoms of hypochondriasis may include:

·        Excessive worry over having or getting a serious illness.

·        Physical symptoms are not present or if present, only mild. If another illness is present , or there is a high risk for developing an illness, the person’s concern is out of proportion.

·        High level of anxiety and alarm over personal health status.

·        Excessive health related behaviors e.g., repeatedly checking body for signs of illness , or shows abnormal avoidance e.g., avoiding doctors’ appointments and hospitals.

·        Fear of illness is present for at least six months ( but the specific disease that is feared may change over that time).

·        Fear of illness is not due to another mental disorder.

Management

·        Supportive psychotherapy

·        Treatment of associated or underlying depression and/ or anxiety, if present

HOMOEOPATHIC REMEDIES

Homoeopathy today is a rapidly growing system and is being practiced all over the world. It strength lies in its evident effectiveness as it takes a holistic approach towards the sick individual through promotion of inner balance at mental, emotional, spiritual and physical levels. When HYPOCHONDRIASIS is concerned there are many effective medicines available in Homoeopathy , but the selection depends upon the individuality of the patient , considering mental and physical symptoms.

ALUMINA:  Low –spirited and inclined to weep, worse on awaking. Full of apprehension and fear that he will go crazy. Suicidal tendency when he sees blood, or a knife or something of that kind. Lassitude and indifference to labor or work, an hour seems to them half a day. Pain in back as if hot iron were thrust into the spine.

ANACARDIUM ORIENTALE: Mental depression, he is silly and clumsy in his behavior, desires to be alone.  Irresistible desire to be alone. Fear of the future. Irresistible desire to curse and swear. Feels always hungry, better while eating, worse after eating and in forenoon. Constipation. Piles.

ARGENTUM NITRICUM: General appearance imbecile, talk very childish. Does not work, as he thinks it will do him harm and that he is not able to stand it. Thoughts of having an incurable disease drive him almost to despair. Thinks himself neglected and despised by his family, wakes them up at night in order to talk to them, and sets the time when he will die. Frequent turns of anxiety, is nervous, impulsive , must talk very fast, but has to stop, as he tries easily. Always hurried in everything.

AURUM METALLICUM: Great restlessness, dread of death, whining mood. Painful, anxious state of mind, inability to reflect, with headache after making the least mental exertion, as if the brain were dashed to pieces. Quarrelsome disposition. Suicidal tendency. Hypochondriasis in pining, low spirited boys, whose testicles are mere pendent shreds, on the verge of atrophy, or from hepatic or syphilitic disorders. Poor digestion, worse after eating.

CALCAREA CARBONICUM: Lowness of spirits, with disposition to weep. Paroxysms of anguish with orgasmus sanguinis, palpitation of heart. Shocks in the region of the heart. Despair about one’s health. Apprehensions of illness, misfortune, infectious diseases, insanity ,etc. Dread of death. Excessive sensitiveness of all the organs of sense. Malaise, aversion to work, inability to think or to perform any mental labor, etc.

CONIUM MACULATUM:  Hypochondriasis starting from sexual organs, often in connection with enforced abstinence from sexual intercourse. Weakness with great sexual erethism, amatory thoughts occurring and even emissions by the mere presence of women.  Spermatorrhoea  from long lasting abuse of genital organs. Face pale and sunken, with blue rings around eyes. Dread of company, yet does not want to be alone.

MEZEREUM: Indifference to everything and everybody, looks through a window for hours without being conscious of objects around. Apprehensive at the pit of the stomach when expecting some very unpleasant intelligence. Aversion to talk, it seems to him to be hard to utter a word.

NATRUM CARBONICUM:  Depressed and exceedingly irritable, especially after a meal. Worse a vegetable diet, especially starchy food. The degree of hypochondriasis can be measured by the stage of digestion. Averse to society , even to that of his own family. Dyspepsia, with sour belching, waterbrash, retching in the morning. Groping colic just after a meal.  

NATRUM MURIATICUM: Despairing, hopeless feeling about the future, with dryness of mouth, irritable mucous membranes, sore and slightly ulcerated tongue, chronic constipation with hard stools. Foul breath. Hypochondriasis, worse by dyspepsia and constipation, better when bowels move freely.

NUX VOMICA: Ill –humor, despondency, aversion to life, disposition to vehemence. Indisposition to work or to perform any mental labor. Fatigue of the mind after the least mental exertion. Unrefreshing sleep, aggravation of the distress in the morning. Dullness of the head, with aching pains, or sensation as if a pin were sticking in the brain. Aversion to open air. Constant desire to lie down , with great exhaustion after walking. Painfulness and distress in the region of hypochondria, epigastrium and the pit of stomach. Constipation, slow action of the bowels. Hemorrhoidal disposition , feels better when bowels move.

PHOSPHORUS: Apathy and sluggishness, alternating with mirth and laughter. Uneasy about his health. Anguish when alone, especially twilight or in stormy weather, with timorous disposition. Hepatic or renal affections.

SEPIA:  Aversion to society and indifference to business and to one’s own family. Desponding, weary of life, often ushered in by an attack of indigestion. Extremely irritable and peevish. Sour eructations and formation of gas in abdomen. Gone, sinking feeling in epigastrium, which food does not fill up, except, perhaps, at supper.

STAPHYSAGRIA: Listless, sad dreaming of the coming evils. Fear about his state of health, of incurable diseases. Aversion to mental and physical labor. Inability to think. Oversensitive to the least word.

SULPHUR: Lowness of spirits, painful anxiety of mind. Solicitude on account of one’s affairs, health, salvation. Fixed idea, paroxysms of anxiety, with impatience, restlessness, vehement disposition. Bodily and mental inability to perform any mental labor. Exhaustion after the least mental exertion. Headache , especially on the vertex. Fullness and pressure in the pit of stomach. Constipation. Haemorrhoidal disposition. Disposition to feel very happy.

ZINCUM METALLICUM: Sexual hypochondriasis from spermatorrhoea following long lasting abuse of sexual organs. Testes drawn firmly up against external ring. Excessive irritability.