45 years old Chandu is always preoccupied with feeling of illness. The diagnosis is
**Core Concept**
The underlying principle being tested here is a psychiatric disorder characterized by a persistent and excessive preoccupation with one's health and bodily functions, leading to significant distress and impairment in daily life. This condition is often associated with a heightened sense of vulnerability to illness and a tendency to misinterpret bodily sensations as signs of disease.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The correct diagnosis is Hypochondriasis (also known as Illness Anxiety Disorder), which is a type of anxiety disorder. Individuals with hypochondriasis exhibit an excessive and persistent fear of having a serious illness, despite medical reassurance and a lack of evidence for the feared condition. This fear is often driven by a hypervigilance to bodily sensations and a tendency to overinterpret benign symptoms as signs of a serious disease. The pathophysiology of hypochondriasis is not fully understood, but it is thought to involve an overactive brain response to bodily sensations, which can be exacerbated by anxiety and stress.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option is incorrect because it does not accurately describe the primary symptomatology of hypochondriasis, which is a preoccupation with the fear of having a serious illness, rather than a fear of losing control or experiencing anxiety in public.
**Option B:** This option is incorrect because it describes a different type of anxiety disorder, specifically Social Anxiety Disorder, which involves a fear of being judged or evaluated by others in social situations.
**Option C:** This option is incorrect because it describes a different type of psychological disorder, specifically Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, which involves recurrent and intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions) aimed at reducing anxiety.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
It's essential to distinguish hypochondriasis from other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, which may also involve excessive worry and anxiety. However, in hypochondriasis, the focus is specifically on the fear of having a serious illness, rather than a broader range of worries.
**Correct Answer: A. Hypochondriasis (Illness Anxiety Disorder)**