A different example illustrating this concept would be somebody who is diagnosed with diabetes. Most diabetics cope with the illness pretty well. But a diabetic patient with hypochondriasis may have tremendous difficulty coping. They frequently go to doctors in order to make sure that they aren't having any other complications or to have their insulin adjusted just slightly, even when there is no medical reason to do so. They use the medical system in ways that most people would consider to be excessive.
Is hypochondriasis under-diagnosed?
Most physicians generally feel that hypochondriasis is under-diagnosed. Today’s medical care has an emphasis on acute care, and tends to be symptom focused. For example, if somebody comes in complaining of severe back pain, a typical physician's response would be to order some tests and to give the patient a prescription for the pain. The doctor would only rarely, however, ask more holistic questions like “Are there other life events that could explain why this back pain is bothering you more now than it might at other times?”
Are there any characteristics that hypochondriacs usually share?
It appears that women are more likely than men to have it. Some people have suggested, however, that this is because there is more of an emphasis on reproductive system complaints, which are far more common in women. In addition, women go to physicians more frequently and are more likely to be diagnosed for that reason.
