The maximal interpretation and catastrophic of the most insignificant bodily signs on the part of the hypochondriac person, is the generating mechanism of hypochondriasis, regardless of whether the doctor assures him that he does not suffer from any illness or that this is not serious, this only serves to reassure her momentarily, returning immediately.
In all of our centers in Madrid and in Las Rozas, Boadilla, Pozuelo, Torrelodones, Villalba, Galapagar, Majadahonda and El Escorial, we treat hypochondriasis by applying third-generation therapeutic techniques and advanced psychotherapy, with bases and scientific and therapeutic foundations , of and of Humanist Therapies such as , with more than 20 years of clinical research and 50 years of international progress, adapted to our current sociocultural reality, establishing routines and disciplines in harmony with the life and environment of the patient, which allows them to fully integrate into their social and family group, thus maximizing their quality of life and that of their circle near.
This disorder usually also affects family environmentss complete, since some families have extreme sensitivity and tend to interpret the signs of disease at any time or situation in which they find themselves, with feedback negative among family members about these maximalist perceptions.
Hypochondriacs are at risk of ending up producing what they fear most, that is, the center their attention on a specific biological function, can end up actually creating the disease, thus generating a , producing the so-called effect “nocebo”that is, the appearance of a somatic symptom caused by a mental process.
Therapy and Treatment for Hypochondriac Disorder
In Vertices Psychologists we use the so-called therapy to treat, in a generic way, the disorder hypochondriac, promoting the loss of anguish and unfounded fear of the disease that the patient feels. Likewise, during the treatment, the patient is asked not to go to the query from the doctor or to hospital emergencies and that he does not talk about health or illness, in general. It is essential the collaboration from the patient’s family and/or from their intimate social circle, since they must understand that this person has a real problem, which is not the one the patient communicates, but another equally worrisome one.
The treatment, properly speaking, will begin once the external communication limits outside the consultation have been delimited. Given the origin totally unfounded of this disorder and the ability to reasoning and dialogue between the patient and the psychologist, the feeling of improvement begins a few minutes after starting the treatment, dragging on this sensation for several days, with progressive improvement as the therapy progresses.
The basic treatment consists of making the hypochondriac patient lose fear to sickness and death. The anguish caused by the recurring thought and self induced of being sick, since it is a sensation uncontrollable and unpleasant, it becomes the trigger for said fear. In order to achieve the eradication of such fears, in Vertices Psychologists we use the desensitizationfeared and avoided situations in the imagination, thus ensuring that the patient can face them without fear and without distress. Once this stabilization is achieved, the hypochondriac can then begin to reinterpret his bodily sensations and feel, in the same way, those that are nice or neutral, and your body will stop being a source of fear or pain, becoming a generator of pleasure and confidence.
Finally, we work so that the hypochondriac person can successfully face another type of problems that appear in their daily lives, such as making decisions difficulties, job change, separation, etc. With this system, in Vertices Psychologists We intend to prevent future situations of distressdepression or continued anxiety, which may trigger a relapse in hypochondriac disorder.
Finally, we are very careful in the diagnosis of hypochondriaa, since in some situations this may be incorrect, since the patient actually suffers from a disease and the medical specialist cannot find its true cause. That is why, each case must be analyzed in depth, before establishing a diagnosis of hypochondriasis, since they must be ruled out. pathologies unusual organic causes, or underlying social or psychological problems.