Which disorder involves interpreting normal physical sensations as symptoms of disease, previously called hypochondriasis?

Which disorder involves interpreting normal physical sensations as symptoms of disease, previously called hypochondriasis?

• A. Illness Anxiety Disorder
• B. Somatic Symptom Disorder
• C. Conversion Disorder
• D. Factitious Disorder

Answer: (A)

This item checks your understanding of illness anxiety versus somatic concerns. The key idea is preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, even when there are few or no physical symptoms to explain distress. Interpreting ordinary bodily sensations as signs of disease—like feeling a lump, a twinge, or a headache and instantly worrying it signals a life-threatening illness—fits this pattern. The shift from the old term hypochondriasis to illness anxiety disorder reflects this focus on health threat worry rather than on the presence of actual symptoms alone. People with this pattern often seek excessive reassurance or engage in constant health checking, and their anxiety tends to persist despite medical reassurance. In contrast, somatic symptom disorder centers on real, distressing bodily symptoms themselves and the disproportionate thoughts and behaviors those symptoms provoke. Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical tests. Factitious disorder involves intentionally producing or feigning symptoms to assume the sick role.

This item checks your understanding of illness anxiety versus somatic concerns. The key idea is preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, even when there are few or no physical symptoms to explain distress. Interpreting ordinary bodily sensations as signs of disease—like feeling a lump, a twinge, or a headache and instantly worrying it signals a life-threatening illness—fits this pattern. The shift from the old term hypochondriasis to illness anxiety disorder reflects this focus on health threat worry rather than on the presence of actual symptoms alone. People with this pattern often seek excessive reassurance or engage in constant health checking, and their anxiety tends to persist despite medical reassurance.

In contrast, somatic symptom disorder centers on real, distressing bodily symptoms themselves and the disproportionate thoughts and behaviors those symptoms provoke. Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms that cannot be explained by medical tests. Factitious disorder involves intentionally producing or feigning symptoms to assume the sick role.