Complications of Illness Anxiety Disorder
It is easy for illness anxiety disorder to become a self-replicating cycle.
Many of the physical symptoms of illness can also becaused by stress.
That worry can, in turn, cause these symptoms to worsen and cause new symptoms to develop.
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Illness anxiety disorder may also lead people to avoid seeking medical treatment altogether, thus jeopardizing their health.
Illness anxiety disorder frequently overlaps with other anxiety disorders.
Types
There are two types of illness anxiety disorder: care-seeking and care-avoidant.
Care-Seeking jot down
Some people with illness anxiety disorder react with a need for constant reassurance.
They may visit the doctor regularly despite tests showing that everything is normal.
They may also frequently complain of their symptoms to friends and family members.
Care-Avoidant punch in
Others with IAD react in the opposite extreme.
They may avoid visiting the doctor for fear of learning bad news.
This key in of therapy helps people learn to manage the anxiety that they feel towards their physical symptoms.
In turn, this can help the symptoms themselves diminish.
These drugs are generally known as antidepressants and work by affecting the levels of serotonin in the brain.
Examples include Zoloft (sertraline), Paxil (paroxetine) and Prozac (fluoxetine).
Untreated illness anxiety disorder can eventually cause you to limit your life activities due to your fears.
For more mental health resources, see ourNational Helpline Database.
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