Dear Njigirl,
My husband loves to visit the emergency room of the hospital for every little discomfort. When he has a headache or any kind of pain, he will rush there. They never find anything wrong, which is good. I have told him he needs to stop crying wolf because the day there will be a real wolf, nobody will believe him.
Just the other day, he ran again to the emergency room for a pain on the right side of his chest. I am tired of this behaviour. My co-worker said there is a name for this syndrome. Is it true?
ν Stella
Dear stella,
Well, there is an old adage which says that it is better to be safe than sorry. At the same time, emergency visits should be kept for real emergencies.
Having said that, your husband may have a condition known as” “hypochondria” whereby he suffers from a severe anxiety that makes him think that he is feeling more pain than he really is. The anxiety pushes him to run to doctors for a simple cough which he exaggerates thinking he has tuberculosis or discomfort in the chest that makes him believe he is having a heart attack. Sometimes, he just seeks attention hence the need to pretend to be sick.
Hypochondriasis, as Wikipedia explains, “is categorized as a somatic amplification disorder —a disorder of perception and cognition that involves a hyper-vigilance of situation of the body or mind and a tendency to react to the initial perceptions in a negative manner that is further debilitating. Hypochondriasis manifests in many ways. Some people have numerous intrusive thoughts and physical sensations that push them to check with family, friends, and physicians often.”
Could your husband be suffering from this condition? It is possible. You should make an appointment with your primary physician to get him evaluated. This is not a joke. Get him the help he needs fast.
Best.
ν Dr. NJ