Pill anyone?
Contemplating the daily conversations that take place in (let's say) the office, it doesn't take long to realise that Hypochondria:
"Hypochondria is a belief that physical symptoms are signs of a serious illness, even when there is no medical evidence to support the presence of an illness. Hypochondriacs are overly focused on their physical health, they have an unrealistic fear of having a serious disease and are often unable to control their fears and worries." (courtesy of PubMed Health)
is more common (and at times contagious) than you could ever imagine. Of course, this is a genuine medical condition (and I am by no means making light of this), but the type I'm referring to is the kind that gets you thinking 'here we go again' when someone takes to describing (sometimes in raw detail) the next ailment to take over their sensibility.
For example, someone I see on a regular basis always, and I mean ALWAYS has something wrong with them. Be it 'their acid', or 'their sinuses', or 'their tinnitus; nothing you suggest will help as they've had it for years yet no doctor has ever been able to relieve them or do anything to help it! Fair enough, this is possible with certain conditions or problems but when that's your response for every single ailment you feel the need to share with me, I have to start wondering if maybe you're an undiagnosed hypochondriac.
What gets me even more than this, is the fact that when one person starts about 'my angina'; all of a sudden and like a Mexican wave, more and more people start chipping in how they have the same thing - but worse!! Take this as an example:
Me: Morning - how are you??
Everyone: Good thanks
Complainant: errgh!
Me: Oh, what's up?
Complainant: Oh nothing, just my tinnitus / migraine / acid reflux / back ache / insomnia / swine flu ...
Me: Oh, that's not good. Have you tried (A?)
Complainant: Nah, that don't work cos back in 1984, (this) and (that) happened when I tried it.
Me: Does doing (B?) help?
Complainant: Well, only for a short while but then it comes back twice as hard
Me: Erm, well . . . maybe you should just (C?) to see if it makes a difference
Complainant: Nah; cos I'm allergic to V, W, X, Y and Z (especially Z), it would flare up my sores!
Complainant No.2: Yea, that exact same thing happens to my mother's, uncle's, cousin's friend!!
Ok, so maybe the above is a little extreme but it isn't all that far from the truth of certain conversations I have to endure.
Hypochondriacs, I feel, are also people who refuse to acknowledge the real reason behind a certain ailment or ill feeling, and instead create another interesting reason as to why it is what it is. Take my mother for example; let me inform you that the world's greatest hypochondriacs are the health professionals themselves. My mother was a nurse, a midwife more precisely so naturally she still has all the knowledge that got her through her nursing years. However for many many years you COULD NOT tell her nothing about anything that concerns her medically and unfortunately, a couple of things over the last decade have come and bit her in the a*se; I also at times can be stubborn but she has now given me the opportunity to demonstrate exactly WHO I got it from!
Although, one practice that I did adopt from her is to not 'own' any of these ailments (although she took this to the extreme that she don't admit something's wrong when it clearly is!). 'My' thyroids, 'my' reflux, 'my' allergy ... if it's yours, go ahead and keep it then - why would you wanna get rid of it! I think the moment you stop seeing it as something that belongs to you, you may have more of a chance of kicking it to the curb (or at least wanting to). Think of a child; the moment they say something is 'mine' - they aint giving it up for no one!!
My moral here is to is think positively if you want a positive outcome and rather than accepting and owning things that aren't right - fight them. Consider it a placebo pill!
So BDSSers, what other wonderful ailments have you been introduced to? Do you know anyone who has officially been diagnosed a hypochondriac?
I remember being in hospital and their being a patient who was on one about this and that only for the nurses to give them a bag of water which they thought was medicine, constantly on that dame bell as thought it was a hotel. However I have not since come across folks like that one in the above post thank goodness cause such would drive me nuts... however i do have the "I know" anything you say they have already tried, just about to try or have already done it they just don't want to be told or given any advice folks
ReplyDeleteI hate hypochondriac's, they can be the most draining people to be around, depressing to talk to as well. As the example demonstrates you say hello to them, and they start complaining about something or other persistantly lol! I find it really irritating!
ReplyDeleteIf someone is truely ill then fair enough, but I can't tolerate people that are trying to get sympathy or attention seeking using illness. Especially when they try and get you to run around after them.
I think if your that sick, stay at home and recover.
Just agree with them that they don't look to good and you've heard of someone else who had the same thing, they talked about it instead of getting something done about it and they are now paralysed from the eyballs down. Then see how quickly they stop coming to you with their trash.
ReplyDeleteBefore anyone says anything I know it's wicked but I think it's a case of "cruel to be kind"... kind to yourself that is. ;D
You hit the nail on the head Sel - persistently complaining about the same thing. But if I'm running around after someone, they had better know for sure that they're ill otherwise I'll make 'em so! haha! Just kidding, well, kinda...
ReplyDeleteAndy ROFL & LMAO!! It's so true; I should try that and see what happens! (still chuckling at paralysed from the eyes down!)
MFMU - count yourself lucky that you haven't yet come across one hun!!
ReplyDeleteOtherwise, go back to that hospital and nick some of that placebo water!!
Hahaha girl this is so funny because I know a fair few hypochondriacs and once you entertain a convo about their 'ailments' you can be standing around for what seems like hours.
ReplyDeleteI think for some this moaning becomes a part of them and they like the attention it brings as was shown in your hilarious dialogue!
Hypochondriasis =/= Attention Seeking.
ReplyDeletePeople with this phobia are ill.
You guys are using a psychological illness to describe people who do not have hypochondria. Learn the difference.
Thank you for commenting anonymous.
ReplyDeleteJust to reiterate what was written in the post above:
"Hypochondria is a belief that physical symptoms are signs of a serious illness, even when there is no medical evidence to support the presence of an illness. Hypochondriacs are overly focused on their physical health, they have an unrealistic fear of having a serious disease and are often unable to control their fears and worries." (courtesy of PubMed Health)
If the above describes any readers of this post then by all means we would suggest seeking help and support there are some organisations online offering information and support for sufferers and most importantly speak to your doctor.
Anonymous makes a good point, in highlighting that there are genuine sufferers of this condition.
To be perfectly honest however I've never come across anyone who has been diagnosed with hypochondria, hence my tongue in cheek response to the post.
Yes I think the post is meant to be tongue in cheek.
ReplyDelete