Can we think ourselves sick?
A twinge in your back; a sudden headache; a feeling of numbness in a limb; an inexplicable lump. Would you ignore the unusual feeling? Or assume the worst?
For many Australians, just ignoring such feelings is not an option. Formerly known as hypochondriasis, illness anxiety disorder can see people become preoccupied by the possibility that changes in the body might be the sign of serious illness. They experience high health anxiety.
Stephanie Huynh convinced herself that a lump in her back was cancer. When half of Slava Prakhily’s face went numb, she was certain it was multiple sclerosis.
N.B: The video on the link above only plays if you are in Australia however you can watch the same video on YouTube. I have embedded it below for you to watch:
