It's safe to say that no one likes to be sick, so it's natural for us to have a healthy degree of fear and anxiety about it. Some people, however, do suffer from a mental health disorder that exacerbates this fear and manifests in unhealthy ways. We're talking about illness anxiety disorder (IAD), also known as hypochondriasis or hypochondria. Indeed, having an irrational fear of being, or becoming, ill can really have a negative impact on one's life.
In this gallery, we explain what illness anxiety disorder really is, as well as its symptoms, risk factors, and possible treatments. Click on to learn all about IAD.