A phobia is a clinical term that is used to describe an irrational and persistent fear of certain objects, situations, activities, or persons. These fears are beyond one’s control and may interfere with one’s daily activities. There are many forms of phobias, and they can be a fear of something specific such as the fear of flying, or fear of social interaction. Other examples of this disorder may involve fear of small animals, closed spaces, and snakes. Medical experts estimate that at least five percent of the entire U.S. population has one or more clinically diagnosed fear disorder. A phobia usually begins at home and persists into adulthood. Some of these conditions if not treated may debilitate a person.
Hypochondria or hypocondriasis is a kind of phobia that refers to an excessive preoccupation or worry about having serious ailments. Often, this kind of condition persists even after a health professional has already evaluated and established that there is really no problem with the hypochondriac’s health. Hypochondria is often characterized by a person’s fears that minor bodily symptoms could be signs of a severe health problem. The person afflicted with hypochondria would often undertake self-examination and self-diagnosis, which are signs of over-preoccupation with one’s health and body. To hypochondriacs, every lump is cancer, every cough is lung disease, every change in one’s routine may mean that one’s health is on the decline. Many hypochondriacs worry about having the most severe ailments without any of the risk factors. There are no specific causes of hypochondria, it occurs in men and women with equal frequency.
Other symptoms of hypochondria may include: