My friends and family will be the first to tell you that for quite some time now, I have been moderately affected by a somatoform disorder (read: physical symptoms with no apparent cause,) known as hypochondria.
It's not too intense, I don't think, but I did used to frequent WebMD whenever I had a fairly common symptom, and if that symptom persisted, I automatically began focusing on whichever health issue I found that sounded the most morbid.
Sound crazy? That's 'cause it is, mostly. I do still have one unexplainable health concern that I haven't seen a dermatologist for, and that's reocurring hives or chronic uticaria. They are so annoying it's ridiculous, and I have had them since high school. It isn't just a small, obnoxious itch, either...it starts off that way, and then swells up and sometimes even leaves whichever body part is affected (usually my thigh) really sore and white the next day, after the swelling goes down.
Every time I talk to my family members about this, they roll their eyes and attribute it to "stress"...but I can't count the number of times I have been stressed and NOT broke out in insanely uncomfortable hives, or the number of times I find a breakout happening when I am not stressed whatsoever.
It has been a few weeks since the hives-o-death reared their ugly head, and I do take measures such as using Free and Clear detergent, but that doesn't really seem to make a difference. Of course, I have done all the research I could do on the matter and what is the prevailing evidence?
"For most people with chronic uticaria, the cause is unknown."
Cool, thanks science. Luckily I don't currently know of any deathly diseases associated with hives (though I know they are out there,) so I shall just suffer in silence/ignorance I suppose.
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