illness anxiety disorder

noun

plural illness anxiety disorders

: excessive concern and worry over a prolonged period of time about having or getting a serious illness despite a lack of physical bodily symptoms : preoccupation with one's usually normal bodily functions and sensations accompanied by the belief that they are signs of a serious or life-threatening medical condition

Patients with illness anxiety disorder … experience exaggerated bodily sensations, like sweating or a rapid heart beat, that can result in extreme anxiety about the possibility they have a serious underlying illness. … Every cough is pneumonia, every chest pain a heart attack, every headache a possible brain cancer …

—Jane E. Brody

But if you're excessively worrying about your health—especially if you've seen your doctor and you've been tested or cleared of any issues―it might be worth speaking to a mental health professional. … Illness anxiety disorder, which is often referred to as health anxiety and hypochondria, is a very real condition that can be managed.

—Lindsay Holmes

called also hypochondria, hypochondriasis

compare somatic symptom disorder

Examples of illness anxiety disorder in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Causes and Risks What causes illness anxiety disorder can vary person to person. —Sean Mowbray, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2025

Swedish researchers studied people with and without hypochondriasis — also known as illness anxiety disorder — a diagnosis given to people who are paranoid about being or becoming sick. —Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 25 Dec. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

2013, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for illness anxiety disorder

• boarder
• border
• corder
• order
• warder
• camcorder
• recorder
• reorder
• suborder
• transborder

Medical Definition

illness anxiety disorder

noun

: excessive concern and worry over a prolonged period of time (as several months or more) about having or getting a serious illness despite a lack of physical bodily symptoms or the presence of only insignificant symptoms (as a rash or cough) : preoccupation with one's usually normal bodily functions and sensations accompanied by the belief that they are signs of a serious or life-threatening medical condition despite a normal medical examination, reassurance by a health care professional, or negative test results

called also hypochondria, hypochondriasis

compare somatic symptom disorder