Are you a hypochondriac? Quiz!

Are you always worrying about the latest health scare? Do you often find yourself fearing that you might be seriously ill? Or are you someone who pooh-poohs the media's latest health scare and believes that life's too short to worry? Find out more about hypochondria and discover the signs and symptoms of this debilitating condition. Then take our quiz and learn just how much of a hypochondriac you are!

What is hypochondria?

A hypochondriac may experience severe anxiety form something as simple as a sneeze or cough, fearing that it is the first sign of severe disease. Hypochondria or health anxiety is a fairly widespread complaint, accounting for 5% of all outpatient appointments in the US every year.

This form of severe health anxiety frequently begins early in adult life. It's often triggered by an individual suffering an illness or losing someone they know to a medical condition. About 60% of hypochondriacs also experience other mental health issues, such as OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) and panic attacks. Symptoms vary but may include:

• Worrying that everyday stuff such as a cough, a sneeze or a tummy rumble is the first sign of a serious condition
• Visiting the doctor often
• Researching symptoms online
• After negative medical tests, still not being convinced that you are healthy
• Talking about their health obsessively
• Avoiding activities, places or people in case you get ill

Hypochondriacs' continuous anxiety can actually cause physical symptoms such as nausea, headaches, and fatigue, so if you don't address the condition, it can become very debilitating.

How much of a hypochondriac are you? Take our quiz and find out!

Read the following statements and decided whether you agree or disagree. Write down how much times you agree and disagree. Then add up your scores to find your result below:

1. You never seem to feel normal or well.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

2. When you get a bug that's going around, you always worry if it's something much serious.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

3. You research the symptoms associated with unusual illnesses.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

4. You worry that you might have cancer or a tumour.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

5. You often feel faint.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

6. Even after a doctor has given you a clean bill of health, you are still convinced you're ill.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

7. Whenever you're feeling a little below par, you consult your doctor, just for reassurance. Or do you always avoid the doctor for fear of bad news?

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

8. When a new virus makes an appearance, you are very anxious about catching it.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

9. You take a lot of days off sick from work or school.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

10. You stress about catching infections when you are out and about in public places.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

11. You often suffer from bad headaches.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

12. People frequently remark about you being ill so often.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

13. You are inclined to feel fatigued.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

14. You take at least six tablets a day (including prescribed drugs, supplements and vitamins).

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

15. You regularly self medicate for any minor aches and pains with painkillers or paracetamol.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

 16. You sometimes worry that your heartbeat sounds abnormal.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

17. You Google symptoms of various conditions to diagnose yourself.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

18. You can't relax on a walk in the countryside in case you get bitten by a tick carrying Lyme Disease.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

19. You worry about radiation from X-Rays at the dentist.

⚪ Agree

⚪ Disagree

20. When you can't remember something, you worry if it's the onset of Alzheimer's disease.

⚪Agree

⚪Disagree

Your results:

Add up how many times you ticked Agree:

0 - 5

While you might or might not be in the best of health, you don't worry about it. You aren't a hypochondriac: you understand that you can't control everything about your health, and so there's no point in worrying about it.

6 -15

You are somewhat of a hypochondriac, but it's not too much of a problem (yet!). Even when your doctor reassures you, you may be watching your health a bit more closely than is good for you.

15- 20

You are definitely a hypochondriac, although you might not have been aware of it. If left untreated, hypochondria can become overwhelming and have a significant impact on your quality of life. There are several options for treating hypochondria, including counselling and CBT(cognitive behavioural therapy). Bach Flower Mix 85 also supports you in overcoming health anxiety, whether you're worrying excessively about your own health or that of your partner or child.

Sources:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/illness-anxiety-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20373782

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/health-anxiety/

Other articles

Simple tips to not be afraid of the future

No one knows what the future holds, so don't waste time and energy worrying about it. Read our tips and find out how to stop being afraid of what might never happen.

What can you do if your kid doesn't want to go back to school?

What can you do if your kid doesn't want to go back to school? Here are our hints and tips to help if your child is expressing a refusal to go to school.

Signs you're slipping into a burn-out

Learn how to recognise the signs of stress and avoid slipping into a burnout or a bore-out

Did you get stuck in the past?

Do you find yourself often thinking about your past? Do you wish you could turn back the clock to days gone by or things as they were before covid disrupted the world?

Feeling blue?

Feeling blue? You're not alone! We all feel sad at times; it's a normal human emotion. Sometimes, it's clear to see what has triggered our depression. Common reasons for feeling sad include bereavement, the end of a relationship, losing your job or money problems. But it's not always so clearcut.

Let's make 2021 better than 2020

For many people, 2020 has been one of the worst years they can remember. The COVID -19 pandemic and social unrest have changed our lives in ways we would not have believed possible a year ago. And when January 2021 comes around, we're still likely to be facing many challenges. Can 2021 be a better year?

Are you resilient enough? Take our quiz!

Do you have enough resilience to face the world out there? Take our quiz to find out how resilient you are and find tips on how to build your mental resilience.

What makes it so hard to go back to school?

Going back to school during a pandemic is a new experience for everyone, and it's understandable if children are feeling anxious about it. We take a look at some of the issues and how you can help your child to get ready for returning to the classroom.

Why you're not the best

What are your aims in life? Do you plan to be rich, to be a top footballer, to be a good parent, or to become Prime Minister? However efficiently you plan your life, sooner or later you are going to come up against obstacles to achieving your goals.

Even the brightest minds have setbacks!

We all want to be successful but many of us find the path to achieving our dreams is blocked by our fear of failure. Whether you’re trying to lose weight, go backpacking around the world or start up a new business, you need to accept that you might fail many times over before you achieve success.