In the 14th century, some patients in Europe believed they were made of glass. This meant they were scared of breaking into pieces and went to weird lengths to protect themselves like sleeping in straw. This strange fear may still exist today in hypochondriacs – people who are worried about having a serious illness.
The journalist, Caroline Crampton, talks about her battles with health anxiety in her book, “A Body Made of Glass: A Cultural History of Hypochondria”. Her fears were even more intense because she survived Hodgkin’s lymphoma twice. Despite this, she wonders if her worries about her health are valid or purely psychological.
In Crampton’s view, hypochondria is a complex condition. Its boundaries blur with real illnesses and it significantly affects how the person perceives their health. She believes hypochondria is not just an obsession of an individual’s health but also reflects our fear of death and the unknown. Despite the often confusing details about hypochondria, her book offers interesting insights into the world of a hypochondriac.
