So, you’re dating a hypochondriac. Whether you knew that your girlfriend was a hypochondriac before you started dating, you may have been seeing signs and symptoms for some time now. Maybe your girlfriend worried about catching specific diseases or illnesses after hearing about them for the first time. Maybe your girlfriend was known for fixating on specific symptoms or body parts and worrying that they were indicative of a serious disease. Regardless of how you found out that your girlfriend is a hypochondriac, she probably needs some support from you. Hypochondria is a tough mental condition to have, and it’s not easy to go through it alone. Luckily, your girlfriend has you…and we have you as far as suggestions go!
Here are 12 ways to support your hypochondriac girlfriend:
Listen to her concerns without judgement.
If your girlfriend is a hypochondriac, it’s important to be supportive and understanding. It can be difficult to listen to her concerns without judgement, but it’s important to try. Showing patience and compassion will go a long way in helping her to feel supported. Reassure her that you’re there for her and that you’ll support her no matter what concerns she has. It would also help to reassure your girlfriend that none of her concerns are too silly! You can also let her know that she should talk to you whenever her hypochondriac thoughts start to worsen.
Do your research on hypochondria.
In order to support somebody with hypochondria, you need to understand hypochondria. The easiest way to do this is to do your research on hypochondria. It can be very helpful to understand what are symptoms of hypochondria versus what what are genuine medical concerns. While there can be some overlap, there are also some tell-tale signs that indicate that somebody is having a hypochondriac episode. This will show your girlfriend that you care and support her. From this, you will be able to help her appropriately depending on what type of symptoms she is having.
Help her to find a qualified medical professional that she feels comfortable with.
If your girlfriend is a hypochondriac, there are some things you can do to help her. One of the most important things you can do is to help her find a qualified medical professional that she feels comfortable with. This can be difficult, as many hypochondriacs tend to be mistrustful of the medical establishment. However, it is important to find a doctor or therapist that she feels she can trust. In the event that your girlfriend ever displays or shows concern about a new symptom, it’s important to speak to a qualified medical professional to rule out anything more serious.
There are several ways you can help your hypochondriac girlfriend find a qualified medical professional. First, you can try looking online. There are several directories, such as ZocDoc, that allow you to search for qualified medical professionals within a person’s geographic location. These online directories allow people to filter by different preferences, such as insurance, first available appointment, preferred gender, etc.
In addition to online directories, there is also always the option of telehealth. This can be a great option for hypochondriacs, because appointments are usually much easier to come by. Plus, you can take them from within the comfort of your own home. In addition, telehealth doctors are great because they aren’t limited to the area in which you reside. While you are often limited to selecting a telehealth doctor in state, you can help your girlfriend find a doctor that is most preferential to her.
Go with her to appointments and lend a supportive ear.
One way to be supportive of your hypochondriac girlfriend is to go with her to doctor’s appointments. Many hypochondriacs are embarrassed going to doctor’s appointments, because they may be self-conscious about what their doctor or their other medical providers think of them. When you are at your girlfriend’s appointments, you can help her advocate for herself if she’s too shy or embarrassed to speak up.
Another great reason to go with your girlfriend to doctor’s appointments is so that you can absorb all of the information her doctor is telling her. Many hypochondriacs have a hard time hearing or believing their doctor whenever their test results or scans come back normal. So, if you are also in the room with your girlfriend and her doctor, you can later reassure your girlfriend that what the doctor said was indeed true. This will help your hypochondriac girlfriend to avoid spiraling later on when she starts to think what the doctor said wasn’t true.
Help your hypochondriac girlfriend stick to any treatment plan prescribed by her doctor.
If your hypochondriac girlfriend has been prescribed a particular treatment plan, you can help her stick to it. There are several ways you can do this, such as getting her a treatment calendar and tracking her details on it. Or, you can buy a giant whiteboard and keep track of everything that way. Whatever way you keep track of the treatment plan, make sure that you are helping her stay on top of it so that she doesn’t feel unsupported.
Encourage her to take care of herself both physically and mentally.
You should encourage your girlfriend to take care of herself both physically and mentally. If she is a hypochondriac, this can be a challenge. She may be constantly worried about her health and fretting over every little ache and pain. However, it is important to encourage her to stick to a healthy lifestyle. From a physical perspective, this involves taking steps such as exercising, eating a healthy diet, avoiding drugs and alcohol, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, and getting regular check-ups with a doctor. From a mental perspective, this involves taking steps such as taking time to meditate, reducing both external and internal stressors, speaking regularly to a mental health professional, and practicing self-care rituals whenever possible.
When your girlfriend is taking care of herself both physically and mentally, don’t be surprised if her hypochondriac tendencies tend to lessen or disappear altogether. Hypochondria has a tendency to be exacerbated when people aren’t feeling their mental or physical best. In order to show your girlfriend that you are being supportive for her, try offering to do some of these activities together! For example, you could arrange to go to a weekly yoga class together (tackling both exercise and mindfulness at one time!) or you could suggest that the two of you meal prep and go to sleep early together. Whatever you decide to do, it’s important to show your girlfriend that you are here to walk the walk with her and will support her unconditionally as she gets both physically and mentally healthy.
Be understanding if your hypochondriac girlfriend needs to cancel plans or take a step back from social activities.
Hypochondriacs, like most people, have good days and bad days. Some hypochondriacs are very worried about catching illnesses or diseases from other people, which is why their hypochondria sometimes affects their social lives. There may be times when your girlfriend’s hypochondria is so active that she may not want to be around other people. If you’re dating a hypochondriac, it’s important to be understanding if she needs to cancel plans or take a step back from social activities – even with you! It can be tough to date someone who’s always worried about their health, but it’s important to remember that they can’t help it. It’s not personal, and it doesn’t mean they don’t want to be with you. They’re just trying to stay healthy and safe. So if your girlfriend cancels plans or asks to take a break from socializing, try to be understanding.
Remind her that she is not alone in this and that you are there for her.
Hypochondria can be a very isolating condition for those who suffer from it. Even if you yourself don’t suffer from hypochondria, you can probably understand what it’s like to be concerned about a possible health condition you may have. For example, you may have had the unfortunate experience of waiting for test or scan results that could negatively impact either your life or quality of life. Hopefully, the scan or test results went well, and the doctor sent you on your way. But, what if those thoughts that led to the initial scan or test results came back? Over, and over, and over again? Regardless of how many negative tests and scan results you received?
You can understand how this would be a scary feeling for somebody. So, if you do understand this, it would be so supportive for you to go above and beyond in reminding your girlfriend that she is not alone in her feelings. You can reassure her that, even though you do not have hypochondria, you can empathize with and understand the scary feelings that she is feeling.
Help your hypochondriac girlfriend find healthy coping mechanisms for her anxiety and stress.
People with hypochondria are often stressed and anxious, mostly about the fact that they are worried they are sick. It’s imperative that people with hypochondria find healthy coping mechanisms for anxiety and stress, for several reasons:
It will help her feel better. Your girlfriend’s anxiety and stress can be very overwhelming and debilitating. Helping her to find healthy coping mechanisms will help her to feel better and to be able to cope with her anxiety and stress in a more positive way.
It will help to reduce her anxiety and stress levels. If your girlfriend is constantly anxious and stressed, it can take a toll on her mental and physical health. Helping her to find healthy coping mechanisms will help to reduce her anxiety and stress levels and will help to improve her overall health.
It will help her to be more productive. If your girlfriend is always worried about her health, it can be difficult for her to focus on other things and to be productive. Helping her to find healthy coping mechanisms will help her to be more productive and to focus on other aspects of her life.
It will help to improve your relationship. If your girlfriend is always anxious and stressed about her health, it can put a strain on your relationship. Helping her to find healthy coping mechanisms will help to improve your relationship and will help to reduce the tension and stress that her anxiety and stress can cause.
Coping mechanisms are very personalized and often differ from person to person. If your girlfriend doesn’t yet have a coping mechanism in place, you can help her find one! Some common coping mechanisms are reading, sewing/crocheting, going for walks, meditating, talking to friends and family, and playing with an animal. If none of these coping mechanisms appeal to your girlfriend, encourage her to look into less common coping mechanisms. It doesn’t matter what she chooses, so long as it’s a coping mechanism that helps her feel good and gets her mind off her hypochondria.
Avoid anything that could trigger her anxiety or make her symptoms worse.
Your hypochondriac girlfriend is always on the lookout for anything that could possibly be wrong with her health. So, if you’re not careful, you could easily trigger her hypochondria. Here are a few things to avoid doing if you don’t want to set off your girlfriend’s hypochondria:
Don’t talk about any health concerns you may have. Even if it’s just a cold or a headache, your girlfriend will automatically assume the worst and start to worry.
Avoid talking about any illnesses or diseases, even in passing. This includes watching TV shows or movies about diseases, reading articles about health scares, or even talking about someone you know who is sick.
Don’t bring up any old injuries, no matter how minor. Your girlfriend will start to wonder if you’re hiding a more serious injury from her, or may start to worry about also being injured in the same way.
Be careful not to mention any new aches or pains you may have. Again, your girlfriend will assume the worst and start to worry.
Try to stay calm and relaxed, even if you’re feeling anxious or stressed. If you show any signs of anxiety, your girlfriend will start to think that something is really wrong. By following these tips, you can (hopefully) avoid triggering your girlfriend’s hypochondria.
Be patient with her.
If you have a hypochondriac girlfriend, it’s important to be patient with her. Unfortunately, hypochondria is not a condition that goes away – usually ever. While hypochondria can lessen and worsen in its severity, sufferers are usually sufferers for life. That being said, you need to be patient with your hypochondriac girlfriend. There is a very good possibility that you will hear her bring up the same health concerns, over and over again. There is also a good chance that, no matter how many doctors your girlfriend sees, that she will never stop believing that she is sick. Having patience for your girlfriend will go a long way in letting her know that you support her through this condition.
Let your hypochondriac girlfriend know that you love her and will support her through anything.
According to the Beatles, “All you need is love.” In the case of having a hypochondriac girlfriend, love is such a huge way of showing your girlfriend that you support her. Whenever your hypochondriac girlfriend is having a rough day or a flare-up, let her know how much you love her. Whenever your hypochondriac girlfriend is obsessing over symptoms, let her know how much you love her. Basically, anytime your girlfriend has any sort of worry, let her know how much you love her. In the moment, that reassurance will help her feel supported so much more.
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.
