People who worry about their health likely to die earlier
While individuals who lead normal lives clock 75 years, those who harbour excessive fear of disease, a condition known as hypochondriasis, manage 70 years,
What you need to know:
- Checking the body constantly for any signs of medical condition, excessive worrying about a specific disease and repeatedly talking to others about your health, are key symptoms of hypochondriasis.
- Others include worrying that minor signs are symptoms of a deadly disease and obsessing over becoming unwell.
Excessive fear of falling sick could actually drive you to an early grave, scientists have warned.
A new study shows that people who are constantly worried about contracting a serious illness shorten their lives by five years; and their chances of dying early are higher than that of others.
While individuals who lead normal lives clock 75 years, those who harbour excessive fear of disease, a condition known as hypochondriasis, manage 70 years, according to the Swedish researchers.
Presently, the average life expectancy for Kenya is 67.70 years, an increase of 0.34 per cent from 67.47 years in 2023, as shown in the latest Macrotrends estimates.
Even though the majority of people worry about developing a deadly disease, hypochondriacs are extremely anxious, which disrupts their daily life because they interpret all bodily sensations as disease symptoms, scientists explain.
Other than their life expectancy being reduced by five years, researches based at the Karolinska Institutet found that health worriers are four times more likely to die by suicide.
Their risk of dying from respiratory illnesses such as Covid-19 and flu is also two-fold higher compared to those who lead normal lives. The study, which set out to investigate the risk of diseases or death, found that hypochondriacs are 64 per cent more likely to die from any other condition in general compared to those leading normal lives.
According to neuroscientists led by Dr David Mataix-Cols, hypochondriasis could be caused by family health conditions or past experiences, for instance, battling a deadly disease.
To arrive at the findings, the scientists observed 42,000 individuals including 1,000 hypochondriasis patients for more than two decades from 1997 to 2020.
Nearly all women subjects at 78 per cent were found to have another anxiety disorder and also took the lead as hypochondriasis patients at 57 per cent, the study showed.
“The study indicates that in comparison to persons without the condition, hypochondriasis patients are more likely to die from both unnatural and natural cause particularly suicide,” stated the experts.
Dr Mataix recommends priority be given to improved detection as well as accessing evidence-based-care.
How do you know you have hypochondriasis?
Checking the body constantly for any signs of medical condition, excessive worrying about a specific disease and repeatedly talking to others about your health, are key symptoms of hypochondriasis.
Others include worrying that minor signs are symptoms of a deadly disease and obsessing over becoming unwell.
Treatment
Medics are able to diagnose the condition by ruling out some illnesses such as anxiety disorder.
Antidepressants and psychotherapy are the main treatments used for hypochondriasis.
