Illness Anxiety Disorder (IAD), previously known as hypochondriasis, is characterized by a preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious medical illness despite minimal or no somatic symptoms. Individuals frequently engage in excessive health-related behaviors—such as body checking, repeated reassurance seeking, or compulsive online research—or may avoid medical care entirely out of fear. Symptoms persist for at least six months and cause significant distress or impairment. Treatment focuses on reducing health-related anxiety, restructuring catastrophic interpretations of bodily sensations, and promoting adaptive coping rather than reassurance-seeking cycles.
