Illness anxiety disorder, previously known as hypochondriasis, has gotten a facelift of sorts in the DSM-5. The portrayal of hypochondriacs in media was so pervasive (and typically negative) that experts found both laymen and professionals approaching the disorder and those who seemed to have it from a place that was less than objective, resulting in confusion and misdiagnoses.
The DSM-5 attempts to rectify that problem by both changing the name of the disorder itself and further clarifying the kind and degree of symptoms that professionals should look for when trying to diagnose it. Those filing claims for hypochondriasis – or, now, illness anxiety disorder – need to know these new guidelines so that they don’t neglect to bring up symptoms that doctors will be looking for.