Abnormal Psychology Coursework Example

Name
InstructorCourse
Date
Illness Anxiety Disorder
Illness anxiety disorder is a mental disorder where an individual is believed to have a severe disease by the presence of specific physical signs or symptoms. It is mostly characterized by an excessive preoccupation with illness and misinterpretation of standard body functions and cues hence causing health-related anxiety.
There are many symptoms associated with this disorder which include; repeatedly checking your body for signs of illness. This is where an individual is not confident about any changes in their bodies. They believe any change in their body might be a sign of disease. There are biological changes which do not necessarily show any sickness.
Persons with this condition are always worried about their health such that when they hear about a relative or anyone with the similar situation they get weak and sickly. Most of the time they prefer to stay away from friends and relatives suffering from such diseases. They continuously check their signs with information found on the internet. They highly rely on data to check for causes and symptoms of the disease they dread contracting. Avoiding people, especially friends and relatives who have contracted the disease, avoid engaging in activities that may result in health risks, and visiting places they think are dangerous (Roy 220). Seeking reassurance from persons, they trust to reassure themselves, however, most of the times this works for a short period before the thought preoccupies them again.

They also make regular medical appointments for doctor’s reassurance or avoid the checkup at all for fear of being diagnosed with a severe illness.
They have so much distress about possible illness, and as a result, they repeatedly check their bodies for signs of disease and are worried continuously by minor sensations, itchiness as they interpret it to mean they have severe disease. Some are easily alarmed by other peoples’ illness, find little or no reassurance in negative test result or a doctors reassurance. Worrying excessively about a specific medical condition especially that runs in their family.
Illness anxiety disorder is caused by a history of child abuse (it could be emotional or physical) or negligence. Having mental disorder such as anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders or psychotic disorders. Significant life stress may cause developments of symptoms in some cases.
Biological factors have to be in place for illness anxiety disorder to manifest because of advancements in genetic research. Many diseases and disorders are known to have a genetic component which should come as no surprise that psychiatric disorders are believed to have a genetic part as well. Concerning anxiety disorders, genetic predisposition has been implicated in Panic Disorder and Phobias. Different people have different genetics which causes fear among people due to differences in their body. There are various biological systems which are interrelated, and they may cause anxious and fearful symptoms which might make the individual believe they are suffering from are a particular disease.
Psychological and sociocultural factors also contribute to this disorder. People’s attitudes and behaviors affect disorder since they make the symptoms to worsen. Individuals learn new ways of thinking and behaving by observing how other people think and act (Roy 220). A good example is a stress which weakens the heart.
Treatment towards illness anxiety disorder includes; medication in which persons with this condition feel they need more of medical treatment than mental treatment. Therapies and counseling can help those psychological problems recover their sources of triggers of memories. Exposure and response treatment can also prevent the occurrence of the severe illness and stress management which prevent the development of the condition.

Work cited
Roy-Byrne, Peter P., et al. “Anxiety disorders and comorbid medical illness.” General hospital psychiatry 30.3 (2008): 208-225.