Name(s):
Acute health anxiety
Fear of catastrophic health problems
Nature
Hypochondria is the chronic mental state in which the sufferer is constantly occupied with a delusion that he or she is seriously ill. The individual spends a great deal of time seeking cures, has a gloomy turn of mind and is extremely self-centred. He or she is unproductive and drains the resources of family, friends and society by requiring large amounts of the medical profession's time.