Illness Anxiety Disorder: Obsessive Worry Over Getting Sick

  Illness anxiety disorder is on the increase. It often involves the fear of getting infected and contracting certain diseases. Or, being obsessed with constantly consulting the Internet to check if specific symptoms mean something more serious. In fact, many people see their lives as being restricted and dominated by this kind of preoccupation. When you first see the term, illness anxiety disorder, you might think we’re referring to the classic hypochondriasis. However, it should be noted that this term was removed from the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a diagnostic category in…