15 Problems Only A Hypochondriac Would Understand

Uh-oh! A strand of hair came off my head when I was washing it this morning in the shower. Maybe I€™m getting alopecia!?

Have you ever let thoughts like this creep into your head before? Good news; you€™re not alone. Hypochondria is more common than people think. Almost all of us have, at some point, worried about our health unnecessarily. Some of us worry about it a lot! With a wealth of information at our fingertips it's easy to develop a nagging anxiety for one's health. We hypochondriacs struggle daily with a number of problems, from terrified Googling of symptoms to worrying whether we irritate our doctor from countless visits. We're in a world of turmoil and a Grim Reaper from our own silly imagination is knocking at our door. Knock knock... Creaking door opening... Footsteps... Oh wait, hang on! I'm exaggerating. Phew! Here is an insight into our crazy, fearful world with a glimpse at 15 problems only hypochondriacs would understand. Don't be surprised if those without it might relate to it as well.

15. You Need An €œEmergency: Break Glass€ Alarm When A Medical Documentary Comes On TV

Medical documentaries are becoming more and more popular these days. None of us can quite understand why a guy with something unknown growing on his bottom would want it confessed on television in front of a few million people. For a hypochondriac it€™s not just the grossness that makes us turn away. Any sign whatsoever of any disease or health condition makes our eyes bulge from our sockets in panic. The logic, or lack of, in our heads says: Maybe I have that! Oh no! That pain I have€ It€™s got to be THAT! If there is no €˜in an emergency, break glass€™ alarm at hand when that particular programme comes on, try changing channels to something calming, like a David Attenborough documentary on sea life. Beautiful, crystal blue waves and soothing whale noises ensue. Just watch out for the shark eating baby turtle bit. Might want to turn over again at that point.

14. You Heard A Story That Instils Paranoia

Someone is ill. And now you think you€™re ill with the same thing too! It€™s almost as if because someone else suffers from something it€™s more likely to happen to you. Reality is, though, your chances were the same as before you knew they were ill - pretty damn low. So-and-so off the TV has cancer. A family friend had a stroke. Somebody somewhere in the world had a heart attack. Terrible things, absolutely. But us hypochondriacs take that news as an opportunity to research and become paranoid that this illness is coming to get us! And why? Uh... Good question, seeing as what we've been told is regarding someone else's health and not our own. But still...Aaaahhh!!!!

13. €œSomething Is Wrong" Thoughts 24/7

You know you€™re a true hypochondriac when your thoughts throughout the day keep coming back to compulsive echoes of €œWhat if I€™m right this time and it€™s something really, really bad?€ In fact, you might find you can€™t focus on anything else other than that. Wake up: €œI€™m ill.€ In the shower: €œI€™m ill.€ Go to work: €œI€™m ill.€ Come home: €œI€™m ill.€ Go to bed: €œI€™m ill. I must stay up throughout the night unintentionally and worry about it.€ Problem there is when you think too much about being ill and never get much sleep your anxiety can almost mimic that ill feeling and suddenly you think you were right all along. You see? Didn't I tell you I was ill? Didn't I? Who's the fool now?