英语四六级阅读练习：健康焦虑并非玩笑_大学英语写作

英语四六级阅读练习：健康焦虑并非玩笑

　　Health anxiety is characterised by the excessive seeking of reassurance， from doctors or from family members. What we always tell people on our helpline is that reassurance doesnt work， says ONeill. I have seen people who have convinced themselves they have a brain tumour they go to their GP， they go for scans. When they are reassured they dont have a tumour， they still think what if they missed it? What if it was too small to see? What if this is one of those NHS mistakes? Because the media highlights it so much when things do go wrong， it feeds the feeling in people with health anxiety that I could be the one that it goes wrong for。 People ring up and ask， Do you think Ive got cancer? I cant offer that reassurance because how would I know? But we do know that reassurance only works in the short term. It isnt long before those fears return.

　　Another problem， ONeill says， is that health anxiety which used to be called hypochondria is not taken seriously. It can be seen as a bit of a joke， but it can have a serious impact on someones life.

　　Mark agrees. When youre in the grip of it， it can be terrifying. It affects all aspects of your life your work， your relationships because you cant think about anything else， and youre living with this expectation of impending death.

　　According to Professor Peter Tyrer， head of the centre for mental health at Imperial College London， about 1-2% of the population have pathological health anxiety， and in people who have already had treatment for a condition， it can be around 10%. He thinks the number of people affected is rising.