As coronavirus spreads, anxiety spreads faster

an article by Ella Lee published in the Chicago Sun*Times [via the World of Psychology blog]

 A couple wears face masks and latex gloves in the international terminal at O’Hare Airport.

 Tyler LaRiviere/Sun-Times

While many people are concerned about the new coronavirus spreading outward from Wuhan, China, the illness is having particularly nasty effects on people with severe health anxiety (hypochondria) or OCD with a health/germ fixation.

“Anytime there are media reports about ‘new’ or ‘exotic’ illnesses, we start to receive numerous calls and emails from people who are excessively anxious about the perceived threat that these conditions pose,” said Tom Corboy, executive director of the OCD Center of Los Angeles.

This article offers tips for those struggling with severe health anxiety.

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Labels:
coronavirus, hypochondria, health_anxiety, germ_phobia,

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