Fear of Illness and Disease; The Hypochondriac’s Oath!
June 11, 2008
Fear of Illness and Disease
The Hypochondriac’s Oath
The Fear of Illness and Disease may as well have been dubbed the Hypochondriac’s oath, as all Hypochondriac’s live by it and most who have this fear may be Hypochondriacs. This fear is very closely related to two other great fears; The Fear of Death - The Universal Fear and the Fear of Old Age. Both of these fears will be studied in the coming days.
You may have acquired these fears from simply living with someone who has suffered from some illness or disease. You could also have acquired these fears by spending much too much time reading about illnesses and diseases, or watching the news and reading the daily papers in search of the next great plague. It has been often proven that the simple thought that you have “caught something” will give you “something” and those who scour the papers and scour the internet for outbreaks of salmonella and the bid flue, inevitably come down with the symptoms.
The actual fear itself it quite easy to understand. I mean the thought of being overwhelmed by some disease and not being able to work, or support our families and enjoy life is really something that has deeply infected our fear-receptors. If you ask most physicians they will tell you that many of their cases are people who believe they are ill, or have contracted a news-worthy or new-fad disease. Flu outbreaks usually include a major part of the populace that have flu-like symptoms because they hear these symptoms every two minutes on every channel on the television or read it on every-other magazine cover or newspaper headline.
The Power of the mind is incredible whereas it relates to creating an illness or fear of an illness where there was not one before, or where there is no reason for one to exist. Just ask the now Famous Courtney of Courtney Hears a Who? I believe that experiment drove home a very interesting point. And on a related note, just think of the ancient and current sects that Hex or curse someone and the person being cursed is so sure, so convinced that these curses and hexes are true that they become ill, feel the pain and often die, from a mind-driven disease, not an actual illness or disease.
I know that many of my readers are nurses and I have heard many stories from them that while they trained, and each time they learned of new illnesses and diseases it was inevitable that someone went to the infirmary with the symptoms of said disease. Once told they had been told that they were fine, or given the placebo, the cure was miraculous. It is also that “faith” and total lack of the fear of illness and disease that makes our great Doctors and Nurses possible, if they feared every germ, illness or disease, they would never be able to function. They have put mind over matter and overcome their fears where illness and disease are concerned. They do not get ill or do not contract disease, because they are immersed in it everyday and have absolutely no fear from it!
Good News All! Just as easy as I made it for you to understand how and why we can have these fears, I will show you how they can be eliminated. I have 6 signs that will point to these fears and as these are understood and eliminated, replaced with knowledge and faith, these fears are gone forever!
I will call the first one Modern Medicines or The Curse of the Well-Stocked Apothecary. Your choice, both are pretty catchy and very true. Just how many frequent flyer points have you earned at CVS, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Genovese, Publix Pharmacy and Wal-Mart Drugs or whichever major drug-selling store there is where you reside? Are you one of “those” people who run to the pharmacy for every brand new “cure-all” and remedy that is released? Is New and Improved or Extra Strength tattooed somewhere on your body? This is not only a symptom of the Fear, but one of the worse possible crutches as well. I wonder Ginkgo Biloba, Garlic Pills, Vitamin C Pills, fish oil, shark oil, oil of Olay - whole grain bagels, low-carb diets, high fat diets and A Beach of your choice diets - are you all-over these cure-alls like kids to pokemon? I will tell you - there is nothing more important in life than taking care of you - but seeking every new fad, pill or cure that is released will just reinforce your fear and create a bad and costly habit, that will be very hard to break.
A general Lack of Exercise is another signal. You “feel” ill, so you cannot exercise. What a vicious catch-22. The general fear of Illness will keep you from exercising which in turn will create an unhealthy situation. High blood pressure, obesity and raised cholesterol to name but a few real diseases can be brought about by your lack of exercise. And why aren’t you exercising? Get off that backside and start exercising!
We have spoken about the benefits of Auto-Suggestion and positive affirmations. And we will talk more about them in the next section but just as auto-suggestion can be a positive motivator; it can work in the exact opposite way as well. If you are telling yourself that you do not feel well, you’re coming down with something, if I catch that… etc well - then - you are now working your sub conscious mind into a negative-frenzy and soon, you will become quite ill. That is why you need to tell yourself that you are getting better in every way, every day! I tell my self the very same thing 20 times before bed and 20 times as I awake. No specificity, just “I am getting better in every way, every day in every way I am better!
Hypochondria is one of those signals that cannot be cured from a bottle, shot or suppository, though suppository would be the method of choice. The cure is really just positive thinking. Faith in yourself and what you are doing. Hypochondria is a disease brought on by deep negative thoughts, we all know how to get rid of the negative now - give positive to get positive and get positive to give it right back!
Woe is You. Do the slightest pains or discomforts keep you in bed or at home all day? How many days of work or school have you missed for what can really be deemed a slight or tiny problem. Is there some condition you believe you have keeping you from your goals or attaining your Ultimate Success? If you decide to dwell on those conditions and surrender to them, you are finished, through, Kaput and worse, you have set yourself up to accomplish NADA!
Now I live in the real world and teach in the real world. I understand that some of these conditions and ailments are real obstacles to overcome; and it will take great effort, focus, concentration and will power for you to overcome them - but you will!
Remember: Every new skill you learn while you overcome your condition(s) will serve you well throughout your trek to your Ya-ttitudeTM and your Ultimate success!
Alcohol and Narcotics addiction(s) seem to be a popular defense against the fear of illness and disease. Sad thing here is it will bring it on faster than anything else you decide to hide behind. You cannot cover your fears with drugs or alcohol. Eventually you crash and those problems you have tried to hide are still there; now multiplied out by this new bad habit you have acquired.
You can gain absolutely nothing by trying to cover up, hide or run from your pain. Seek it out, find the source or sources of the pain; learn more and acquire specific knowledge by reading, studying and understanding it. Do not be afraid of it, embrace it. Yes, I know and realize that this is a time-consuming process, one you will need much work on and with to finally bring its elimination to fruition. Once you work through this your life will be better and you will free up time, money and energy for that greater Ya-ttitudeTM of success you desire.
You, your family, your friends, co-workers, neighbors and your world will be all the better when you finally rid yourself of the fears from Illness and disease, and I know you will do it, you now have all the tools you need and the Ya-ttitudeTM you desire!
Next Up:
Fear: The Love Connection
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34 Responses to “Fear of Illness and Disease; The Hypochondriac’s Oath!”
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Awarded by Amy to Ya-ttitude
Great post! It is so true that the power of our minds is largely underestimated. There is an incredible potential for growth and find new ways to live our lives in a better way! My experience with illness and fear of illness is that when your life is out of balance and you’re values and soul purpose are not aligned, your body will tell you. Whether you react or not is your choice. Would you agree with me that being mindful is a good way to deal with fear?
“The best way to conquer fear is to take a decision and act” (Reshad Field)
It is a definite “Mind over matter” application. Once you are able to realize what fears you and why it is easy for your mind to understand and react to it. You can then move forward with positive thoughts and an aim towards wellness. Understanding and realizing what is going on is most of the battle, but f course you have to put into effect that positive Ya-ttitude™ to move past these fears on to a positive and successful life. Great “food for thought” comment Karen. Thanks!
Interesting article… so your premise is once you understand and embrace the fear, you are armed to overcome it? I am not sure I totally agree - while you may understand why you are in pain, it does not guarantee that you can move past it. You need to change your thoughts or focus from the pain to the wellness.
Understanding what ails you - whether it is fear or abulia or the inability to hit a curve ball it is the very foundation to overcoming that issue. Once you know and understand where you issue has its seed planted you are able to find alternatives, positive alternatives if you are to end these issues. Your fear can be overcome by faith - developing it in yourself and in what you do. In the very faith that you are getting better everyday and you are working at getting better everyday. You abulia is cured by making a decision - any decision and going with it… the curve ball - well that was hard… but if you understood the physics behind it and watched the seams and used the old “see the ball - hit the ball” you hit a curve ball. It is your mind that will lead you to the Promised Land. It all begins with understanding!
The reason big pharm spends millions and millions on TV and print ads is exactly due to the mindset that you described.
I agree totally with you Joe. There have been many people that have made small fortunes and large ones and still do, living off of the fear of illness and disease that they can breed with innocent people. I did not want to get into the ethical part of the problem, but I am glad you brought it up.
Way to go Joe!
Great post, Benny. I found it interesting your comment about doctors and nurses not getting sick as much. I’ve always wondered why teachers haven’t had as many problems so I can assume they must do the same.
Any commercial with the line “ask your doctor about….” should be outlawed.
I never really thought about Teachers, but my experience shows a great resistence to this fear with teachers as well. I think I need to do a few interviews… maybe a post to happen later.
Another great post Benny!
I would not say that I am a hypochondriac, but definitely drift torwards the negative/pessimistic side of things. Today was one of those pessimistic days and this post helped alot!
Thanks,
~thenibblers
@ Nibblers - I am glad that I could help - even if it is just a little. Now why all the pessimism? Whenever you feel these negative thoughts trying to make their way into you - smile - it is impossible to think negative thoughts with a smile on your face!
I like your posts here, though I don’t know about the Ya-ttitudeTM thing haha, though Ya-ttitude is a pretty good catchphrase or whatever.
I agree though that negative thinking is not positive for anyone. So many people that I know are so negative all the time, negative about everything, their lives, work, family, partner, the economy, they cry over everything and are just total downers.
I don’t let it affect me really, but still, it can’t be having a positive impact. I wish more people would just stop being so negative. I mean, I don’t dislike the truth, I’m not a liar and will be honest with people and looks at looks logically; but it seems that some people just always come to the most negative conclusion possible. It’s horrible.
@Charles - I have two posts you may want to look at that can help.
1. http://ya-ttitude.com/blog/2008/04/02/ya-ttitude-give-and-take/
2. http://ya-ttitude.com/blog/2008/02/28/the-4-step-plan-to-success/
But - when you give positive you get positive and when you get positive you give it right back. It is not possible to be positive every waking minute of the day - but it is possible to try to be. Surrounding yourself with positive people will help - I understand that the world is full of negative people, but quite often we have to separate ourselves from those situations if we are to attain our ultimate success and goals!
I liked this by the way, FTA:
“I tell my self the very same thing 20 times before bed and 20 times as I awake. No specificity, just “I am getting better in every way, every day in every way I am better!”
It’s like you’re channeling Fred Rogers into your blog.
Fred Rogers… I guess there are much worse that could be hanging around in here.
“Everyday in every way - I am getting better!”
I like this post Benny. Very practical. Very sage, very sound and very uplifting - Nards
I am just so very
Thanks Nards, I am glad you enjoyed the read!
power of the mind—so true—thanks
Most people look at certain things differently from others. Some may think it’s normal while others may become fearful of it. It really depends on how we perceive things and our minds contribute to these perceptions.
“It’s all in your mind”, this what I often hear from my friend. If we just have the will power necessary to overcome our fears and condition our minds over something, we can gradually surpass these fears.
Ya. That’s true.
I explain it with the law of attraction sometimes. This is method is used by many successful people to achieve their dreams too. This includes Tony Robbins.
Thanking you for stopping by and letting us all know about how you believe this is related to the law of attraction. Honestly I do not see a correlation, but if you do then it must be true - odds are you were attracted to this site by some kind of SECRET law that has been kept a secret over time. I am sure of it…right?
Or did you just want to drop you URL - Which is fine too - since it gave me an opportunity to rant a bit. The Law of attraction as a stand-alone tool to your success is a failure. It is also probably a great reason for so many “failures” in life. You cannot just sit back and wish for things and expect them to happen. Wishes - they come true in Disney Movies - in real life you need to put a plan in place and work hard, giving equal value back in order to attain these successes. If you sit back and wait - the only thing you will be sure to attract is bankruptcy!
Benny that was awesome.I have had a fear of death since birth;(
I have seen a lot of it unfortunately.
As far as sick I don’t have time for it and haven’t been sick since?
Anyway I wanted to thank you for your always on point and positive
contributions.
It is like that old prank we used to pull on co-workers. Have several people throughout the day comment to someone “you don’t look so good. Are you OK?” After 3 or 4 the person starts wondering if they are well ..
OK mean, I know - but it kind-of proves your point
Ya Barry - If you read this post:
http://ya-ttitude.com/blog/2008/06/06/courtney-hears-a-who/
You will see just how effective that auto-suggestion is. That is why I stopped reading the newspaper and watching the news on TV - as they want to suggest to our minds all the negative they can dig up - and spread no positive love at all!
I think a big part of overcoming hypochondria also lies in learning to love your own body. So many people don’t like what they see in the mirror and every time their body tries to tell them they need more fresh air/exercise/healthier food/sleep etc. they just ignore the signs and see it as another way in which their body is letting them down. I know so many people who don’t like their type of skin and as a result don’t use SPF ‘because I’ll get sunburn anyway/I’ll turn red no matter what” and because of those fake reasons they are actually harming themself. So I think a part of the solution to feeling better is also ‘loving’ your body better.
I agree with you Marjolein. I often tell people I work with that “the good of the one sometimes outweighs the good of the many” and that one has to be you. You must love yourself and have faith in you - it is the only way you can love others and have faith in them too. Learning about you and all the things you are is paramount to your success in life!
Great Point Marjolein!
Great post Benny. You are very insight full in terms of going to the root of fear. I like that. It helps people define, look at, and deal with their fears. And you do it in a VERY positive way, a way that is doable. Good work going on here. Hugs, Robin
I try to bring this negative crap to light in the most positive way possible. In essence much of what we talk about here can be very negative to our Ya-ttitudes so I need to show the positive way we can approach and work through it…
Love Ya Robin…
My mother used to be and still is to some degree a hypochondriac. Every day I would wake up and wonder what it was going to be for that day. It was amazing the number of illnesses she came up with.
I can’t say that all disease is from the mind. Look at all the many many kids out there who have cancer who didn’t even know what cancer was. MUCH (or most) disease and illness is brought on by our thinking, but some of it is the real deal - no way to prevent it. However, we can overcome many illnesses with the mind. And the best prevention is with our attitude and mindset.
I love your affirmation! Gonna use that one.
You know Jen, My wife is much like that. And it is because she has grown up around that with her parents. My emergency room bills on a yearly basis were amazing. I have worked with her and it has gotten much better - but still She has a tremendouse fear of illness. Amazingly though, not of death - and that is because she has a tremendous religious faith. Faith is an amazing thing. I wish she could apply the same faith to her fear of illness - but it will come. It is not as easy as flipping a switch, but it is not as hard as moving a mountain either!
I also agree - I know that there are diseases, and illnesses that the mind have not brough on - and those are the ones that science needs to work hard on, but the mind is a great tool at overcoming many illnesses!
Ben
and you are Wonderful too!
When I was a child, the most common sick note children presented their teachers with was “bilious attack” (meaning the thought of school had made us vomit) Now that’s out of fashion and “Viral” thingys are more complex and up-to-date, and each term and each illness the medical profession discover and name, is bought by us and we suffer from it. We really do create our own realities. Thanks for a good read.
henry
The mind is an amazing thing. When taught to be in control it can do amazing things for you. Training it is not simple but not hard either. It takes effort and desire… like anything else that gets achieved. Controlling your thoughts allows you to control you!
Very provocative topic. You explained your premise well and worked through it convincingly. Negative attitudes attract what’s negative, and positive attitudes attract positive change. That is the mind can alleviate or worsen one’s condition. Well done. Another Ya-ttitude post I wish everyone would read.
hey thanxs for this site! um I don’t like to think i have hypocondria…but i do! not dieseases that will kill me…but a disease that I can live with that will cause me great pain during my life…u see my mother died when I was 11 from cancer..I watched her suffer for 2 years previous…then 3 years later my brother died from a drunk driver accident…so before the age of 16 I had been through all that SO WHAT…life goes on…but,..my negative thoughts take over!! I fight with myself ALL of the time! I am a very happy positve person…I try to overcome it..but my negative thoughts fight me again…but, I worry myself sooo sick I actually get the symptoms…weird eh? it’s like having two personalities
Good post but I think I’m developing carpal tunnel syndrome by adding this comment.
I’d better go over to WebMD to get checked out.
RHM