HOMOEOPATHY 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.
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