Hypochondriacal disorder involves persistent anxiety about suffering from an undetected serious medical condition, despite medical reassurance. Hypochondriacal disorder significantly affects social relationships, occupational functioning and personal well-being. In university settings, where mental health concerns are prevalent, insights into prevalence of hypochondriacal disorder and associations with depression and other health challenges are essential.

This study examines the prevalence and correlates of hypochondriacal disorder among Norwegian university students, focusing on its associations with depression, mental distress and somatic symptom burden.

The 2022 Students’ Health and Wellbeing Study, a national survey of Norwegian higher education students, included 59 536 participants aged 18–35. Participants were categorised based on a pre-defined diagnostic list of mental and somatic concerns, and participants were grouped as follows: hypochondriacal disorder only, depression only, comorbid hypochondriacal disorder and depression and controls. Validated instruments included the Somatic Symptom Scale-8, the Hopkins Symptoms Checklist, the Satisfaction With Life Scale, an abbreviated version of the University of California, Los Angeles, Three-Item Loneliness Scale and four items on suicidal ideation.

Hypochondriacal disorder was reported by 0.86% (n = 457) of participants, with 52% also reporting depression. Those with hypochondriacal disorder had significantly worse mental and somatic health outcomes, especially when comorbid with depression, including elevated distress, suicidality, insomnia and poor quality of life.

Although uncommon, hypochondriacal disorder is linked to severe mental and somatic health burdens, particularly when co-occurring with depression. These findings highlight the need for integrated mental health strategies in academic settings to address hypochondriacal disorder and its frequent comorbidities.

The COVID-19 pandemic and social and mobility restriction measures have had a negative impact on the mental health of the population.

The objective is to demonstrate the impact of the pandemic on mental disorders.

64-year-old man who is taken to the emergency room after a suicide attempt, by hanging with a belt out of concern and measuring the contagion of the COVID-19 virus in the context of long-standing delirious ideas of contamination and hypochondriacal neurosis. Adaptive disorder in relation to previous divorce. Psychopathologically, the patient is anxious and restless, conscious, inattentive and poorly oriented in space and time. Accelerated language with monothematic discourse about the possibility of contagion that has caused isolation behavior to the point of shredding organic waste and throwing it down the toilet so as not to have to go out to throw it out for fear of contagion. Faced with a neighbor’s wake-up call due to a blocked pipe, he suffers a crisis of guilt and anxiety and attempts to commit suicide. COVID-19 PCR=negative. Beck’s Depression Inventory 24=moderate depression. IPDE accentuated obsessive and avoidant personality traits.

Diagnosis: Moderate depressive episode with psychotic symptoms. Hypochondriacal disorder. Ananchastic personality disorder. Treatment: Paliperidone 3mg/24h. Sertraline 100mg/24h

In obsessive personalities and hypochondriacal neuroses, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed an increased risk of decompensation for affective disorders and even suicide attempts. Isolation, lack of treatment and prior monitoring, as well as the difficulty of identifying vital stressors, must be taken into account if an early intervention is to be carried out.

No significant relationships.