The British Journal of Psychiatry 128: 475-478 (1976)
© 1976 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Monosymptomatic hypochondriasis, abnormal illness behaviour and suicide
PE Bebbington
Two cases of chronic monosymptomatic psychogenic eye pain with abnormal
illness behaviour are presented. Both failed to respond to a wide variety
of treatments, and despite the accepted low suicidal risk in
hypochondriasis both killed themselves. The origin, prognosis and therapy
of such behaviour are discussed in this context.