Hypochondria. Why am I sick?

https://unsplash.com/photos/waist-up-portrait-of-confident-male-therapist-in-medicine-mask-with-stethoscope-on-the-shoulders-feeling-worse-after-hard-working-day-with-patients-in-clinic-uRK0INVK1u8

Hypochondria, or illness anxiety disorder, is a condition in which individuals constantly worry about having a serious illness, despite medical reassurance that they are healthy. The question “Why am I sick?” haunts those with hypochondria as they believe that every minor symptom is a sign of a life-threatening disease. This obsessive fear of illness can have a significant impact on a person’s mental and physical health, as well as their quality of life.

Historically, hypochondria has been recognized for centuries, dating back to ancient Greek medicine. The term “hypochondria” itself originates from the Greek word “hypochondrium,” referring to the region of the abdomen below the ribs. In ancient times, it was believed that the imbalance of the four humors (blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm) in the body caused various illnesses. Hypochondria was often associated with an excess of black bile, leading to melancholia or depression.

One of the key figures in the history of hypochondria is the physician Galen, a prominent Greek physician and philosopher in the Roman Empire. Galen believed that the mind and body were interconnected, and that psychological factors could influence physical health. He attributed hypochondria to an imbalance of the four humors and prescribed treatments such as dietary changes, exercise, and herbal remedies to restore harmony in the body.

In the modern era, Sigmund Freud, the…