[Psychoanalytic theories of hypochondria]

Although hypochondria is one of the earliest psychic conditions to be described, its nosological status is still uncertain and it has been largely neglected in theories of psychosomatics and neurosis. The authors undertake a detailed review of the literature and examine the psychodynamic concepts and theoretical approaches to the hypochondria phenomenon, from Freud, Ferenczi and Levy, through Klein and the ego psychologists, object-relation theories and the psychology of the self, all the way up to the present day. The authors trace the differences between hypochondria and other body-related disturbances and indicate the consequences for diagnosis and therapy.