If you’re reading this article, you likely have a hypochondriac person in your life whom you love very much – maybe a spouse, a parent, a sibling, or a child. If they’re a hypochondriac, you likely have heard them express their concern about a fear (or multiple fears) of them contracting a serious disease or illness. Maybe you’ve heard them express their concern multiple times. Maybe you’ve heard them express their concern, over and over again, despite them being told by a medical professional that they are completely fine. While it can be frustrating to hear your loved one express and worry about these fears, you need to understand that it’s likely just as frustrating for them! They can’t help these thoughts and feelings that they have, so they are extremely lucky to have you in their life.
Here are the twelve ways to support the hypochondriac person in your life:
Listen without judgement to their concerns and fears.
One of the best things you can do for your hypochondriac loved one is to simply listen without judgement to their concerns and fears. This can be difficult, as it can be tempting to try and talk them out of their beliefs or tell them they’re being ridiculous. However, it’s important to remember that their fears are very real to them, and dismissing them will only make them feel worse. Instead, try to empathize with their feelings and offer reassurance that you’re there for them. You can also help them by doing research on their symptoms and helping them to find information that will help ease their fears. If you can be patient and understanding, you can be a great support to the hypochondriac person in your life.
Acknowledge their feelings and validate their experience.
One of the most important things you can do is to acknowledge your hypochondriac loved one’s feelings and validate their experience. Let them know that you understand how they’re feeling and that you’re there for them. Even if you don’t agree with everything they’re saying, try to be supportive and understanding. Remember that this is hard for them, and thank them for opening up to you about their fears and concerns.
Help them to find information and resources about their health concerns.
You can also help your hypochondriac loved one by doing research on their behalf. If they’re worried about a particular health condition, look up information on the internet or in books so they can learn more about it. This can help to ease their fears and give them a better understanding of what’s going on with their body. Remind them that everyone gets worried about their health sometimes, but it’s important to find a balance and not let it take over your life.
Encourage them to seek professional help if needed and be involved in the process.
Another thing you can do is to help the hypochondriac person in your life to find a good doctor that they can trust. This can be difficult, as hypochondriacs often feel like they’re not being taken seriously by doctors. But if you can find a doctor who is willing to listen to their concerns and help them find peace of mind, it can make a big difference. Your hypochondriac loved one will definitely notice and appreciate you willing to help them take that next step in recovering.
Help them to develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with anxiety and stress.
If you are looking for ways to help the hypochondriac person in your life develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with anxiety and stress, there are a few things you can do. First, you can encourage them to start keeping a journal in which they can write down their worries and concerns. This can help them to identify patterns and triggers for their anxiety. Second, you can help them identify ways in which they can successfully deescalate their stress and anxiety. This could be as simple as going for a walk, taking deep breaths, or hugging a pet. Encourage them to turn towards their coping mechanisms when they are feeling stressed and reassure them that you will be there to help guide them whenever you can. By helping your hypochondriac loved one to understand and manage their anxiety, you can help them to live a happier and more fulfilling life.
Promote healthy lifestyle choices and habits.
One way to help the hypochondriac person in your life is to promote healthy lifestyle choices that will reduce anxiety, stress, and the chance of illness. The six pillars of healthy lifestyle choices are eating healthy foods (whole grains, lean proteins, and lots of fruits and vegetables), exercising regularly, sleeping well, avoiding cigarettes and alcohol, reducing stress, and fostering social relationships.
As the person who is wanting to help the hypochondriac person in your life, you can easily help promote these healthy lifestyle choices by modeling and partaking in them as well! For example, you can ask your hypochondriac loved one if they would like to go on a walk with you or you can cook a healthy meal together. You could take a yoga class together, or go see a comedy show with friends. There are so many ways to help – it’s just important for your hypochondriac loved one to know that you will be there for them throughout the entire process.
Help them to stick to their treatment plan and take their medication as prescribed.
If your hypochondriac loved one is currently following a treatment plan and/or is taking prescribed medication to manage their condition, it’s very important to help them stick to it. If they don’t, they could see a resurgence in their symptoms or a relapse of their condition overall. The first step in helping your loved one to stick to their treatment plan and to take their prescribed medication is to talk to them about why it’s important – and it’s important because you want them to feel mentally well.
In terms of more tangible steps, you can help your loved one make a daily or weekly schedule for them to follow with instructions from their doctor or psychiatrist. You could go an extra step and help them set alarms on their phone for reminders of when to take their medication or you could even help them fill up their pill boxes. No matter how you show your support, it’s important to remind your hypochondriac loved one that you are there for them in whichever way they need you.
Be their advocate and support system.
Many hypochondriacs live in fear of their health, and often feel like no one believes them when they express their concerns. As your hypochondriac person’s advocate, it is important to listen to their concerns and help them find ways to cope. There are a few things you can do to be a supportive advocate for a hypochondriac, beginning with educating yourself about hypochondria and how it can affect somebody’s life. This will help you understand what kind of support and advocacy your hypochondriac loved one will need as they progress throughout their worries and thoughts. Hypochondria can be a lifelong battle, but with your support, they can learn to manage it and live a healthy, happy life.
Be patient and understanding.
It is important to remember that the hypochondriac person in your life is not making up their symptoms and that they truly believe they are sick. Try to be as supportive and understanding as possible when they talk to you about the thoughts and worries they are having. Also, understand that the hypochondriac person in your life might not move as the same speed as you would; this often necessitates patience on the part of the support person.
Help them to find humor in the situation.
One way to help the hypochondriac person to find humor in the situation is to point out how their behavior is similar to that of a hypochondriac character in a movie or TV show. By pointing out the similarity, you can help the hypochondriac to see the situation in a more light-hearted way. Another way to help a hypochondriac to find humor in the situation is to make jokes about their health concerns. For example, you could say, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to sneeze on you, I don’t want to give you my cold.” By making jokes, you can help the hypochondriac to see that their health concerns are not always serious and that they can laugh about them.
Encourage them to stay positive and hope for the best.
Encourage the hypochondriac person in your life to stay positive. Remind them that worrying excessively about their health is not going to make them any healthier and that it is important to focus on the good things in life. You can help the hypochondriac person in your life to reframe their thinking by encouraging them to use positive self-talk. For example, instead of saying “I’m so worried that I’m going to get sick,” they could say “I’m taking good care of myself and I’m doing everything I can to stay healthy.”
Love them unconditionally.
Finally, just be there for your hypochondriac loved one. Sometimes the best thing you can do is simply listen to them and be a shoulder to cry on. Let them know that you care about them and want to help them in any way you can. With a little patience and understanding, you can be a great support system for the hypochondriac person in your life. Reassure them that you will be there for them no matter what.
Disclaimer: THIS WEBSITE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE.
If you are currently experiencing medical concerns, it’s important to talk to a doctor to rule out any underlying medical conditions. HypochondriacHQ does not substitute professional medical advice or consultations with healthcare professionals. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read or seen on this website.
