When discussing the diagnostic misconceptions of hypochondria, we mentioned the disease of latent depression, thinking that it is a disease that needs to be distinguished when diagnosing hypochondria. So, what exactly is hidden depression?

In fact, latent depression is not a taxonomic disease name, it is a special type of depression, and therefore, it is sought after in various departments of a comprehensive hospital. The results of the examination are all "no such disease found". From this perspective alone, it resembles a hypochondriac. The clinical manifestations of latent depression include various physical discomfort and autonomic nervous system disorders, such as insomnia, headache, fatigue, chest tightness, palpitations, loss of appetite, and susceptibility to cold sweating. Symptomatic physical treatment is ineffective. Due to the symptoms of the disease being hidden behind physical symptoms, careful mental examination is necessary to detect them. In other words, the treated doctor must actively ask common questions about emotional disorders in order to make the symptoms "visible". They know that the patient has previously had low emotions, a lack of happiness, a lack of interest in daily life, slow thinking and behavior, self blame, and even a group of depression symptoms such as only killing ideas, which has damaged their social function, Moreover, once treated with antidepressant drugs, the effect is significant.

Of course, as we know, hypochondriacs are often accompanied by depression, and antidepressant drugs are also effective in treating them. Therefore, clinical discrimination can easily fall into a dilemma of no doubt, and the key difference lies in the characteristics of the symptoms. The physical symptoms of latent depression are only a part of the symptoms of depression, while the physical symptoms of hypochondria are symptoms, and depressive mood is secondary to them. In addition, medication can alleviate the symptoms of latent depression. For hypochondriasis, medication alone can only partially alleviate the symptoms, and psychological treatment should be combined.

Article source: Jiangmen Psychological Consultation

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