hypochondriac

American  

[hahy-puh-kon-dree-ak] / ˌhaɪ pəˈkɒn driˌæk /

adjective

1. Psychiatry.

   1. relating to, having, or experiencing hypochondria, an excessive preoccupation with or anxiety about one's health.

      This biography of the poet paints him as a hypochondriac depressive.

   2. produced by an excessive preoccupation with or anxiety about one's health.

      Hypochondriac feelings overwhelmed her.

2. exhibiting excessive worry about one's health.

   Her hypochondriac roommate had been convinced that their apartment was killing them with black mold.

3. Anatomy, Zoology.  of or relating to the hypochondrium.

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noun

1. Psychiatry.  a person experiencing or subject to hypochondria.

2. a person who worries or talks excessively about their health.

hypochondriac British  

/ ˌhaɪpəˈkɒndrɪˌæk /

noun

1. a person suffering from hypochondria

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adjective

1. relating to or suffering from hypochondria

2. anatomy of or relating to the hypochondrium

hypochondriac Cultural  

1. A person who constantly believes he or she is ill or about to become ill.

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Usage

What does hypochondriac mean? Hypochondriac was once commonly used to refer to a person who constantly and excessively worries about their health, believing that they are or are about to become ill when there is really no reason to believe so.The condition of constantly worrying in this way was once commonly known as hypochondria (or hypochondriasis).However, mental health practitioners have largely stopped using the terms hypochondriac and hypochondria in favor of other terms due to such labels being seen as demeaning. People with the condition are now sometimes diagnosed with illness anxiety disorder. The chronic anxiety that the condition involves is often focused on particular ailments—such as heart or stomach pains—and may even be accompanied by physical symptoms.It’s normal to wonder if you’re sick when you have a cough or a runny nose, but illness anxiety disorder is recognized as a mental disorder when such worrying becomes constant and excessive, especially when there are no symptoms. In these cases, the anxiety often disrupts a person’s daily life.The words hypochondriac and hypochondria are still often used in a casual way outside of their use by medical and mental health professionals, such as in the context of a person who frequently becomes convinced that minor pains are a sign of a serious health problem. However, using the words in this way can be insensitive and offensive.Hypochondriac can also be used as an adjective describing things that involve hypochondria, as in hypochondriac tendencies. A less common variant of the adjective is hypochondriacal. These terms are also avoided by mental health professionals and can be considered insensitive in casual use.Example: Labeling patients as hypochondriacs only stigmatized them—it didn’t do anything to help their underlying anxiety.

Pop Culture

— The Hypochondriac: Molière’s last play, first performed in 1673. During the play’s fourth performance, Molière passed out on stage and died a few days later.

Other Word Forms

• hypochondriacally adverb

Etymology

Origin of hypochondriac

First recorded in 1570–80; from New Latin hypochondriacus, from Greek hypochondriakós “affected in the upper abdomen”; See hypochondria, -ac

Example Sentences

No. I have a couple hypochondriacs in my house, so I let them deal with that.

From Salon

In later stories, DiDi goes to a women’s camp for the inorgasmic, becomes a private eye and marries a gay hypochondriac.

From Washington Post

Thinking I was being a hypochondriac, I ignored it.

From Washington Post

American business leaders sometimes talk about workforce productivity trends the same strained way you might expect a perfectly healthy hypochondriac to check his body temperature three times a day.

From Los Angeles Times

Historically when the medical community has treated women, it has treated them as hysterics and hypochondriacs.

From Washington Post