Dear Judy,
My sister is a world-class hypochondriac. You name a disease, she’s had the symptoms, thought she had the symptoms, could have sworn she had the symptoms. As far as I know she’s in pretty good health.
Physically, at least.
On the other hand, I am being driven crazy. In fact, her “diseases” just might kill me. At midnight I get calls: My sister is coughing, she is sure it’s lung cancer, can I drive her to the emergency room of our local hospital?
Or my sister is feeling nauseous, nausea can be a sign of an impending heart attack (she’s heard…) — can I come over and double-check to make sure she’s okay.
I happen to be a nurse in the ob-gyn ward of our hospital, so that makes everything worse.
My sister is single and 41 so I think that’s part of the problem. Maybe all of it. Help!
Linda
Dear Linda,
I’m not certain your sister’s single status is responsible for her hypochondria. But loneliness does exacerbate feelings of vulnerability and fear. So maybe what she really is suffering from is too much solitude.
In any event, this has to stop, doesn’t it? Hypochondria is fine, if the person can keep it to herself. But the thing is, no hypochondriac ever does. The midnight phone calls demanding emergency room visits and nurses calls are proof that you will never, ever have a moment’s peace.
Unless you stop catering to them. Now.
So — stop. Get Caller ID, if you don’t have it already. When the phone rings at midnight, don’t answer. In fact, unplug it.
Thanks for writing
Judy
