"When Should You Get Help For Your Symptom" - Sarah Jacoby

What we call "hypochondria" actually has many names: health anxiety, illness anxiety disorder, to name a few. Recent research shows that, with Google in our pockets, the condition is only becoming more common and complex. A person with hypochondriasis is someone who worries excessively about their health in general and having a specific terminal disease in particular. This also includes a hyperawareness of normal bodily functions, said DeAnsin G. Parker, PhD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. For Dr. Parker, who works mostly in individual sessions, treatment starts with a full picture of what the patient experiences. That included the physical sensations as well as when and how significantly they impact the patient's life." In some cases, the symptoms act as a sort of coping mechanism for underlying anxieties and emotional challenges."

- DeAnsin G. Parker, PhD, Assistant Clinical Professor, Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

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