Hypochondriacs are the people with an excessive worry about having an illness. Usually, it persists even after a physician’s evaluation and reassurance that there is nothing wrong with one’s health. Though dealing with a hypochondriac can be frustrating for friends or family members, they should be shown love and support. Here are some ways to deal with a hypochondriac.
Listen to them patiently
A lot of patience and understanding is needed while dealing with a hypochondriac. The person who wants to help a hypochondriac, must learn to understand the importance of listening. The reason for hypochondriac behavior might be due to their past experience or simply due to depression or loneliness. The problem with hypochondria is, it is such a wide area that the person suffering from it cannot be taken for granted and that their problem isn’t real. To them, it is real and disturbing and so a friend or family member must be attentive and listen to their worries patiently. This will give them some support and help them avoid going into depression. If somebody is there to hear their hearts out, it will boost their morale.
Be supportive
Hypochondriacs need reassurance. This reassurance does not have to have you agreeing to their illness, but at least patiently listen to them and assure them that it is going to be alright. Never encourage them but, at the same time, do not mock them. Maintain a neutral response and try to keep responses non-verbal. Remain supportive but, never get over concerned or skeptic. Do not let them feel isolated, help them feel secure. Help them get beyond them to find the real cause of why they feel so bad. Some things you need to help out the hypochondriac is empathy, patience, communication skills, people skills, and a will to help that person over the roughest patch.
Find out what is missing in their lives.
It might not always be true that the reason for hypochondriac behavior is because there is something missing in the person’s life but it might be due to loneliness that a person may want to hide behind an illness. Sometimes the situation is such that due to constant loneliness, people try to believe they are sick and find solace in it. So, the best way to help a person get away from this is to investigate what is the cause for the behavior and when a remedy is found, it will solve the problem. For example, if your friend is lonely and this is the reason for his hypochondriac behavior, then providing him with a companion can solve issues. A pet, like a dog or a cat can help solve loneliness issues to some extent. A pet can help divert attention and help the person feel better.
Seek medical advice
Please take him/her(hypochondriac) to see a doctor. This is a very real disorder. When someone suffers from this problem for quite some time, it might seem that the person has some medical problem for real. These days medical science has developed so much that every disease is curable. This is a serious disorder and requires therapy.
Take him/her to the doctor for a complete medical check up. Get all the medical tests such as x-rays, blood tests, urine tests, etc., done. Once all the reports are normal, you can sit down and talk to the person in a concerned tone. Try to explain things to the person, show the medical reports and tell him/her that there is nothing wrong medically. All that suffering is just psychological. It could be a way of trying to get attention. Take the person to a psychiatrist or a counselor to resolve the issues.
Do the complete medical tests once but no more after that, except the normal, once a year check up or for real illnesses.
Final step
Compassion goes a long way. Empathize with them, give them strength, moral support etc, as these will help them get out of the problem. As a friends or as family members we can play a small part, in our own possible way, to help hypochondriacs by empathizing with them, giving them a little attention and be supportive of them. To them, their illness is extremely real. So, instead of isolating and letting them suffer in silence advise them medical help, they shall find solace with medical help. Leave the advice on medical issues to the professionals, you must never suggest anything as you are not qualified to do it.
With your helping hand extended towards them and the medical help they will surely be well.
