The Link Between Neuroticism and Hypochondria

  “I constantly feel bad”. “I can’t stop worrying”. “When someone says something negative to me, it really affects me”. These phrases characterize people who score high in neuroticism or negative affectivity (for practical purposes, they’re synonymous terms). Neuroticism is a personality variable that’s been associated with hypochondria. In fact, neuroticism acts as a springboard or enhancer that, under certain circumstances, increases the risk of suffering from hypochondria. Occasionally, the individual may already have been diagnosed. In these cases, patients with high scores in neuroticism exhibit a more severe and complex course of the disease. According to Rafael Fernández, neuroticism…