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Finding Help
If you are suffering with medically unexplained symptoms or heightened illness concerns, you should have a proper medical evaluation to make sure that a medical cause for the troubling symptoms has been ruled out. Some people with heightened illness concern are eager to get another medical evaluation -----while others actually avoid going to see the physician because they are afraid of what the doctor might find. If the latter best describes you, please note that some doctors (especially those who work at our research clinics) are very gifted at working with the anxious patient and will do their best to reassure you to make the process of getting help as easy as possible.
If after a proper evaluation from your medical physician your symptoms and worry persist, then you should consider referral to a behavioral health specialist, such as a psychologist or a psychiatrist. This specialist will review your history, both emotional and physical. If your physical symptoms seem suspicious to the specialist, then he/she may refer you back to another primary care medical doctor for further evaluation. If your primary symptoms however seem to be related to excessive worry or concern, the behavioral health specialist may then recommend that you start treatment for heightened illness concern. Either a psychotherapist or the psychiatrist can then initiate a treatment program with you that should help to reduce your medically unexplained symptoms and illness preoccupation.
If you live near the New York City or Boston area and if you wish to get evaluated and treated by experts in these problems, then you should consider participating in our research study for people with heightened illness concern (aka, illness anxiety or hypochondriasis). Our research work is funded in large part by the National Institutes of Health and private foundations. Each patient prior to entering our treatment study will meet with our study physician who will review the medical records, do a physical exam, and make sure that participating in this study is an appropriate thing for you to do. This is done free of charge for people who may be eligible for participation. If you are interested in one of our research studies, please call #212-543-5542. We will offer you a confidential screening and evaluation to determine whether you are eligible for one of our studies. Any treatment you receive as part of your study participation is provided at no cost to you. We do not charge patients. If you wish to learn more about this treatment program, you can also click here.
If you do not live near the New York City or Boston area, then you should ask your primary care doctor for the names of good psychotherapists or psychiatrists in your area who may be able to help you with the problem.
