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Fear of Illness

Fear is one of the most potent emotions. It can render powerful people powerless and sap them of their strength. Rational fear can save our lives; irrational fear can ruin it. One way irrational fear manifests is fear of illness. The fear is common; fortunately, traditional Chinese medicine offers a theory and pathway toward alleviating patient distress.

Those with fear of illness are in fact less capable of determining their true health status than those who are more normative. They will rate their health more poorly, spend more time searching the internet for answers about their perceived symptoms, and have a tendency toward exaggerating the danger of anything in their bodies that feels out of whack. A heavy meal that sits poorly is rarely perceived as a dire physical threat by a "regular" person.