Hostname: page-component-6bf8c574d5-gr6zb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-02-22T14:22:08.071Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Hypochondriasis: A Clinical Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

F. E. Kenyon
F. E. Kenyon*
Affiliation:
The Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, S.E.5
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Introduction

The concept of hypochondriasis, and particularly its nosological position, is far from clear, and there is still a great deal of controversy as to whether or not there exists a condition of primary or essential hypochondriasis. Many of the historical and theoretical ramifications are reviewed in another paper (Kenyon, 1964). The object of the present paper is to give an account of the clinical findings in a large series of patients in order to evaluate some of the hypotheses put forward in the literature, and especially to determine if there is sufficient evidence to delineate a separate group suffering from primary hypochondriasis only. There is a dearth of well-documented case series published, although studies based on the investigation of a group of patients have been made by Gillespie (1928, 1929), Brown (1936), Katzenelbogen (1942), Alarcon (1956), Shirvaikar (1957), Greer (1961) and Ladee (1961). However, none of these attempt any sort of comparison with a “control” series, as is done in the present investigation, nor in most cases are numbers sufficiently large for drawing valid conclusions.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 110 , Issue 467 , July 1964 , pp. 478 - 488
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1964 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Ackner, B. (1957a). “Aches and pains of psychogenic origin.” Med. Press, 237, 1–12.Google Scholar
Ackner, B. (1957b). “Emotional aspects of bodily complaints.” J. roy. Inst. publ. Hlth., 20, 179–185.Google Scholar
Alarcon, R. de (1956). Hypochondriacal Complaints in the Aged. D.P.M. Dissertation, University of London.Google Scholar
Allbutt, T. C. (1884). “Neuroses of the viscera.” Lancet, i, 459, 507, 601.Google Scholar
Alvarez, W. C. (1944). “A gastro-intestinal hypochondriac and some lessons he taught.” Gastroenterol., 2, 265–269.Google Scholar
Bedingfield, H. (1929). “A review of visceroptosis and allied abdominal conditions associated with chronic invalidism.” Quart. J. Med., 22, 611–652; 23, 1–65.Google Scholar
Blacker, C. P. (1957). Triennial Statistical Report, Years 1952–1954. London.Google Scholar
Blacker, C. P. and Gore, A. T. (1955). Triennial Statistical Report, Tears 1949–1951, London.Google Scholar
Brown, F. (1936). “The bodily complaint: a study of hypochondriasis.” J. Ment. Sci., 82, 295–359.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chodoff, P., and Lyons, H. (1958). “Hysteria, the hysterical personality and ‘hysterical’ conversion.” Amer. J. Psychiat., 114, 734–740.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cirlot, J. E. (1961). “Hand”, in: A Dictionary of Symbols (Trans.: Sage, J.). London.Google Scholar
Crawford, J. P. (1962). “Neuropsychologists in medical schools” (Letter). Lancet, ii, 48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gillespie, R. D. (1928). “Hypochondria: its definition, nosology and psychopathology.” Guy's Hosp. Rep., 78, 408–460.Google Scholar
Gillespie, R. D. (1929). Hypochondria. London.Google Scholar
Gittleson, N. L. (1961). “Psychiatric headache: a clinical study.” J. Ment. Sci., 107, 403–416.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gittleson, N. L. (1962). “Psychogenic headache and the localization of the ego.” Ibid., 108, 47–52.Google Scholar
Greer, H. S. (1961). Some Observations on the Natural History of Neurotic Illness. Unpublished Report.Google Scholar
Gull, W. W., and Anstey, E. (1868). “Hypochondriasis”, in: A Collection of the Published Writings of Sir William Gull. London, 1894.Google Scholar
Halliday, J. L. (1937). “Psychological factors in rheumatism: a preliminary study.” Brit. med. J., i, 213–217, 264–269.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Halliday, J. L. (1941). “Concept of psychosomatic rheumatism.” Ann. intern. Med., 15, 666–677.Google Scholar
Halliday, J. L. (1942). “Psychological aspects of rheumatoid arthritis.” Proc. roy. Soc. Med., 35, 455–457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Halliday, J. L. (1949). “Psychosomatic medicine: a new outlook.” Surgo, 15, 69–72.Google Scholar
Hare, E. H. (1959). Triennial Statistical Report, Years 1955–1957. London.Google Scholar
Hare, E. H. (1962). Triennial Statistical Report Years 1958–1960. London.Google Scholar
Hopewell-Ash, E. (1934). “Hypochondriasis” (Letter). Brit. med. J., i, 776–777.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Katzenelbogen, S. (1942). “Hypochondriacal complaints with special reference to personality and environment.” Amer. J. Psychiat., 98, 815–822.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kenyon, F. E. (1964). To be published.Google Scholar
Ladee, G. A. (1961). Hypochondrische Syndromen. Doctoral Thesis, University of Amsterdam.Google Scholar
Lancet, (1962). “What is hysteria?” Lancet, i, 1011.Google Scholar
Mead, M. (1952). “Some relationships between social anthropology and psychiatry”, in: Dynamic Psychiatry (Ed.: Alexander, F., and Ross, H.). Illinois.Google Scholar
Paul, L. (1950). “Psychosomatic aspects of low back pain: a review of recent articles.” Psychosom. Med., 12, 116–124.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Richards, E. L. (1941). “Following the hypochondriacal child for a decade.” J. Pediat., 18, 528–537.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ross, W. D., Browning, J. S., and Kaplan, S. M. (1961). “Emotional aspects in the medical management of rheumatoid arthritis”, Acta Psychosomatica, No. 4. Manchester: Geigy.Google Scholar
Savage, G. H. (1892). “Hypochondriasis and insanity.” in: A Dictionary of Psychological Medicine (Ed.: Tuke, D. H.). Vol. i. London.Google Scholar
Shirvaikar, R. V. (1957). “A study of hypochondriasis.” Neurology (Madras), 5, 44–48.Google Scholar
Slater, E. (1961). “Hysteria 311”, J. Ment. Sci., 107, 359–381.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stenbäck, A. (1961). “Hypochondria in duodenal ulcer”, in: Advances in Psychosomatic Medicine (Ed.: Jores, A., and Freyberger, H.). New York.Google Scholar
Walters, A. (1961). “Psychogenic regional pain alias hysterical pain.” Brain, 84, 1–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Webb, H. E., and Lascelles, R. G. (1962). “Treatment of facial and head pain associated with depression.” Lancet, i, 355–356.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Submit a response

eLetters

No eLetters have been published for this article.