Hypochondriacs told: this won’t hurt you more than me

♦ Hypochondriacs may feel like they suffer more than most people, but actually their pain is no worse than anyone else’s, a study has shown.

Previous research has suggested that health anxiety or neuroticism can exacerbate symptoms.

However, tests by the University of Buckingham found that hypochondriacs do not feel more pain than other people. They just worry about it more.

Jenna Gillett, a psychology graduate, and Dr Emily Mattacola, who carried out the research published in the British Journal of Pain, tested people’s anticipation of pain after they were told they were going to have their hand plunged into freezing cold water.

Although there was a wide variety of reactions everyone tested was in the same amount of pain.

“This study challenges the common belief that personality alters how we anticipate and experience pain,” said Miss Gillett.