is hypochondria hereditary?

Question

both my grandmas are hypochondriacs, my mom is a hypochondriac, and i think i might be one. so just wondering, i googled it but to no avail..

Answer 1

I think that some people are more sensitive or aware of their bodies so that they notice any type of change. I have a friend that is more sensitive in her 5 senses. Her TV is so low that most people cannot hear it but she thinks it is loud. I felt like something was wrong with me for years when I was a kid. Never had any energy. I found out years later that I was allergic to the canaries, the walnut tree outside my window and the oak tree that covered the playground at school. It was so nice to know. Now as an older adult a few years ago I was once again not feeling quite right. Felt like a major hypochondriac. Turned out I had hemochromatosis. It is also called iron overload. It is pretty interesting as many people have it and don't even know it. You might want to look it up as it is hereditary. You may want to check on your emotional health as I think when people don't feel that they are performing up to par they need an excuse of illness so that they won't have to feel so bad about not living up to their potential. It is such a relief to finally find out what is wrong...to at last have a name for what is going on. Hope you are all well and happy. Mmm

Answer 2

a hypochondriac is someone who THINKS there is something physically wrong with them---like they have an illness of some sort, almost all the time, right? the power of thought is so strong. for a disease to be hereditary it would have to be in the genes. hypochondria is not an actual disease, in the physiological sense of the word. it's more of a thought disorder than a physical one. for example, your mom might have had a bacon cheeseburger with extra onions for lunch, and by 3 pm she gets a stomach ache. that's pretty much completely normal. but your mom might feel a twist in her side and think, "i have stomach cancer," when she probably just has indigestion. the mind needs to somehow rationalize physical pain but often does it in a way that unfounded or unreasonable. it's like when someone says, "it's hotter than hell outside." you don't think of that person as a liar, even though you know they aren't telling the complete truth. do you see the point i'm trying to make? before you start thinking of yourself as a hypochondriac, and thus become one, try to see the slight silliness in the whole thing and be supportive of your mom and grandmothers, but don't fall into the mental trap yourself.

when i was in first grade i had a really bad day and came home to tell my mom i got a "G" on my reading test. in my 7-year-old head, i was thinking of something i could tell my mom that would make her feel sorry for me. nobody gets a "G" on a reading test, because an F is the worst grade you can get...i hope this story is seen as relevant to your question the way i intended it to be.

Answer 3

I doubt the disorder is genetically hereditary. I would think it is possible that repeated exposure to your family's hypochondriac way of thinking could predispose you to some of the same behaviors. Afterall, your parents are your greatest role models.

Answer 4

It's not hereditary...it is a habit that you can break.

Answer 5

are you feeling sick?!