Question

. Do you know anyone you would consider to be a “hypochondriac”? What is the basis of your opinion? Did reading the text change your view?

Answer 1

I have considered someone elderly (who has been very close to me) has a hypochondriac. This was because for years together, she asserted that she was suffering from a lower back pain, for which she extensively conducted medical tests and sought varied treatments. Much of her conversations with other people revolved around the pain. This carried on for many years and I mentally diagnosed her with hypochondria.

However, after reading the text I realised that perhaps her pain was legitimate and real, and that it probably had a psychological origin. Referring to her as a ‘hypochondriac’ was wrong because it meant that she was overly preoccupied with her illness and did not take into account that she might actually be experiencing the pain.