Despite the fact that concern for one’s own health and the fact of not wanting to get sick is a normal and rational reaction to the need to avoid pain and for one’s own survival, when this concern becomes an excessive and irrational fear we may be facing a case of nosophobia .

Throughout this article, we will discuss this exaggerated fear of disease, as well as its symptoms, causes, and possible treatments.

What is nosophobia?

Nosophobia is categorized among specific anxiety disorders and is characterized by an exacerbated, irrational and uncontrollable fear of suffering or developing a fatal illness.

Although it does not always have to be this way, nosophobia is more common in people whose work or context is closely related to the world of illness or health , as well as in students of health sciences. It is hypothesized that the reason for this higher incidence may be related to the imprint or impression that some pathologies may cause in the person’s mind.

One of the characteristics of people who suffer from nosophobia is that, despite the fact that for them any symptom may be a sign of a fatal disease, they avoid at all costs going to the doctor’s office . The reason is found in the exacerbated fear of discovering that they have a dangerous or lethal condition, so they prefer to live without finding out.

In addition, these patients have an aversion to the passage of time and to having a birthday. Since the older the patient, the greater the chance of developing a fatal disease and the closer the patient is to death.

How do you distinguish it from a normative fear?

Experiencing some fear of contracting or developing any type of disease, especially if it is fatal or poses a serious health risk, is completely normal; since it is an evolutionary reaction and follows a survival instinct. That is why it is so important to specify the characteristics that distinguish a phobic fear from a habitual or normative fear.

The first difference is that phobic fear is completely irrational, the person is unable to find a reasoning or logical basis for the fear he or she is experiencing and may even accept this irrationality but still not be able to fight it.

The second distinction inherent in this type of disorder is that the fear experienced is completely disproportionate to the actual threat that exists. Although the possibility of developing a fatal disease always exists today, the level of fear experienced by these people is excessive and exaggerated.

Finally, in phobic fears the person is absolutely unable to control the fear experienced. This means that the person cannot prevent the sensations and feelings of anxiety from appearing , as well as the intrusion of intrusive thoughts and beliefs that enhance this anxiety.

Nosophobia and hypochondria: differences

Although it is true that both psychological disorders are related and that a hypochondriac can develop nosophobia, there are certain features that differentiate each of the disorders.

The first, and most distinctive, is that unlike a hypochondriac, the person suffering from nosophobia does not believe he has developed the disease , he only experiences a deep fear of it.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, a person with hypochondria makes constant visits to the health centre in order to ratify his or her suspicions, while in nosophobia he or she avoids going to the doctor at all costs.

This is an avoidance mechanism with which the person can avoid any risk of discovering a fatal disease. Likewise, people with nosophobia avoid contact with sick people, talking, reading or watching movies or documentaries that may be related to the diseases.

Unlike hypochondriacs, who devote themselves to researching or seeking as much information as possible about any disease, in nosophobia it is preferred to ignore any of these topics for fear of being recognized.

What are the symptoms of this anxiety disorder?

Some of the characteristic symptoms of nosophobia have already been mentioned throughout the article. However, it is necessary to specify that, since it is a specific anxiety disorder, there are many other symptoms related to this type of phobia .

As with other phobias, the clinical picture of nosophobia is divided into three sets: physical symptoms, cognitive symptoms and behavioral symptoms. However, although most people experience the same symptoms, this phobia presents a great variability between people.

In the physical symptoms the person experiences an increase in the activity of the nervous system , which translates into symptoms such as increased blood pressure, tachycardia, muscle tension or stomach pains among many others.

As far as cognitive symptomatology is concerned it is distinguished by the presence of a series of irrational ideas and beliefs regarding the possibility of developing a potentially fatal disease.

Finally, as mentioned in the previous point, the person also experiences a number of behavioral symptoms. In the specific case of nosophobia, the person tends to engage in avoidance behaviors such as not going to the doctor, avoiding medical check-ups, and trying to stay away from any information or exposure related in any way to the lethal diseases.

What are the causes?

Although it is very complicated to find out the specific cause of a phobia, it is hypothesized that a genetic predisposition, coupled with the experience of highly traumatic experiences can lead to the development of phobias.

In the specific case of nosophobia, the experience of the death of a loved one or close relative due to a fatal illness may be enough to develop such a phobia. In addition, constant exposure to environments where death by illness is common (hospitals, nursing homes, health centers) or being a student in any branch of health are also risk factors for acquiring this type of anxiety disorder.

Is there a treatment?

Fortunately, there are different psychological therapies that can help decrease the intensity of the symptoms of nosophobia to the point of disappearing. Intervention through cognitive restructuring can favour the elimination of irrational thoughts and beliefs, which form the basis of this disorder,

Of this, treatment by systematic desensitization, in which the patient is gradually exposed mentally to the thoughts or situations feared, accompanied by training in relaxation techniques are highly effective in enabling the person to restore their normal rhythm of life.