My roommate is constantly anxious about the severe illness that is (not) plaguing her. It’s always something new. A mysterious bump that must be a tumor or a twitching thumb that is obviously an onset of Tourette’s. She is what can be considered a hypochondriac, which means she is excessively worried about her health. This health anxiety comes in a lot of different forms, and symptoms of hypochondria include being easily alarmed about your health status, constantly talking about health and possible illnesses, as well as believing that minor symptoms are indicative of a serious medical condition.
My roommate does all of these things. She has the WebMD app installed on her phone to easily diagnose her symptoms and bombards our other roommates (a nursing major and a health sciences major) about the mysterious diseases she could be developing. She is constantly checking her body for signs of an impending disease, like feeling her neck for a swollen lymph node. Even though it tastes awful, she currently drinks a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water each night, because she read the concoction is packed with antioxidants and prevents various health problems. Many of our conversations revolve around her physical health and the possibility of developing illnesses.
Despite constantly worrying about her health, my roommate is still one of the most adventurous and spontaneous people I know. She’s the type of person who is down for anything and is always making new friends wherever she goes. While some hypochondriacs shy away from people and places to avoid health risks, my roommate doesn’t let her anxiety get in the way.
Living with a hypochondriac is also like having a live-in pharmacist. She is always prepared for whatever illness may come. A corner of her room looks like a pharmacy; she displays bottles of pain relievers and vitamins on her shelves like someone else would display books. Whenever someone in our house has symptoms of an illness, perhaps they seem to be coming down with a cold, my roommate is ready the right dose of Dayquil and Airborne.
My roommate recognizes that sometimes her obsessions about a small symptom are often illogical. She’ll say, “I’m crazy, but…” and then list off the many chronic diseases that she could have. But she’s not crazy. My roommate has a point- it is scary to think about the different illnesses that we can contract. I think we’re all a little crazy about different things, and we need to treat everyone’s fears with both understanding and empathy. You always want to be supportive of someone you love, and just saying “don’t worry so much” doesn’t mean their anxieties will disappear. I love my roommate, and in the end, being worried about her health is just another part of who she is.
So, living with a hypochondriac is like living with anyone else- just don’t ask them about the rash on their arm if you’re not ready for an hour-long rant about their impending doom.
