"Hypochondria Associated with Higher Mortality and Suicide Rates"
A study from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has found that individuals with hypochondriasis, or health anxiety disorder, have an 84% higher risk of all-cause mortality and are four times more likely to commit suicide compared to those without the disorder. The research, which matched 4,129 diagnosed individuals with 41,290 controls, also revealed that most people with hypochondriasis had at least one additional psychiatric disorder. The findings highlight the importance of clinical screening and treatment for hypochondriasis to potentially prevent deaths.