The anxiety disorder of hypochondria begets real, physical illnesses and can lead to an early death, so should be taken seriously.
www.theguardian.com
...there’s a difference between the occasional appointment with Dr Google and long-term, serious anxiety over health. This persistent fear of an undiagnosed illness may lead to endless doctor’s visits, or the opposite: total avoidance of medical care. What if we’re not taking hypochondria itself seriously enough?
That’s the takeaway from a recent Swedish study that found that people with what is now called illness anxiety disorder may die earlier than others. It’s a disturbing finding that makes the disorder sound like a self-fulfilling prophecy. As one anxious observer put it: “It’s not enough just to have worries – now you have to worry about your worries.”

‘This should not be ridiculed’: the link between hypochondria and early death
A new study suggests that illness anxiety can be a self-fulfilling prophecy. Fortunately, there are effective treatments