The client with hypochondriasis will display which of the following behaviors?

The client with hypochondriasis will display which of the following behaviors?

• A. An abnormal fear of water.
• B. An abnormal fear about one's health.
• C. Difficulty adjusting to new people.
• D. Difficulty adjusting to unfamiliar environments.

Answer: (B)

Hypochondriasis centers on worry about health. The person displays an abnormal fear about one's health, often interpreting normal bodily sensations as signs of serious illness and seeking excessive medical reassurance or testing despite medical reassurance. This health-focused anxiety distinguishes it from fears like water (aquaphobia) or from broad social/situational difficulties like trouble adjusting to new people or unfamiliar environments, which are not about health concerns. So the behavior most characteristic of hypochondriasis is an abnormal fear about one's health.

Hypochondriasis centers on worry about health. The person displays an abnormal fear about one's health, often interpreting normal bodily sensations as signs of serious illness and seeking excessive medical reassurance or testing despite medical reassurance. This health-focused anxiety distinguishes it from fears like water (aquaphobia) or from broad social/situational difficulties like trouble adjusting to new people or unfamiliar environments, which are not about health concerns. So the behavior most characteristic of hypochondriasis is an abnormal fear about one's health.