Are you having a hard time with your spouse’s hypochondria? Are you unsure how to deal with your hypochondriac spouse? To help you understand some of the symptoms of hypochondria and tips on how to deal with your spouse’s hypochondria, I interviewed therapist Carmen Gloria Avendano, MA, LMFT.
Tell me a little about yourself.
I graduated from the Minnesota School of Professional Psychology. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist. In my life my private practice is called Therapy.
What are some symptoms of hypochondria?
» Certain symptoms of hypochondria follow;
1. I worry too much about getting sick in a way that interferes with daily functioning.
2. When they do wrong, they think it is fatal.
3. Obsession with having symptoms of medical illnesses and checking them online or in books if they have them.
4. They constantly went to the doctor and requested many other examinations even though the doctors said it was not necessary.
5. They often change doctors and seek different doctors’ opinions.
6. Often this brings about anxiety and depression symptoms to think that he is ill.
What are some tips for someone who is trying to cope with their spouse’s hypochondria?
“We advise them to seek individual counseling to understand what their spouse is going through (psycho educational) to better communicate with them, have more truths and also to find out what they are and how it affects them personally. It can be very overwhelming for a hypochondriac spouse, and counseling can help it is possible to learn how to with stress, anxiety or depression that can be caused when the carer of a demanding hypochondriac spouse.
I also want to strongly recommend two counselors to work on all the above and work as a team (two) to beat this disease. Both the patient and the spouse are probably tired of the burden of living with hypochondria. It will likely affect every aspect of the relationship such as intimacy, sexuality, friendship and communication.
I encourage my spouse to set healthy goals for himself or herself (I just love them) and incorporate self-care into their daily routine.
Friends or relatives of the hypochondriac should also attend therapy.
What type of professional help is available to someone who is trying to cope with their spouse’s hypochondria?
“There is a lot of professional help one can seek. See a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist or psychotherapist. And group therapy for to men in the same state.
Whatever you want to do, find a profession that you feel with pain, that you trust, that you feel heard, that you understand and that you respect.”
Thank you, Carmen, for doing a conversation on how to deal with hypochondria with your spouse. For more information about Carmen Gloria Avendano or her work you can check out her website at www.lifebalancetherapy.com.
Recommended Readings:
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: An Interview with Dr. Criswell
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
