Husband's Hypochondria Getting Out of Hand
Dear Annie: My husband is a hypochondriac. It is so very hard living with him. Every time he hears of someone in our family coming down with an illness, he claims he has it. He is a healthy man and perfectly able-bodied. I get disgusted when he takes a handicapped spot next to a store when I know he doesn't need it.
During the height of the pandemic, he was in hysterics all the time. I cannot tell you how many hours I spent trying to pacify him, looking for things that were no longer available, like a thermometer. Because he swore the many thermometers we had at home were not working. I would go to five or six stores. During a pandemic.
He hears about a disease, looks up the symptoms and swears he has it. He goes to his doctors (he has nine of them at this time) and will relay his "symptoms" to them. They run expensive tests, and he is on many medications because of this.
I tried to talk to his main treating physician, and the doctor told me flat-out that if my husband comes to him with problems, it's his responsibility to try to help him.
I tried several years ago to get my husband into therapy, but he refused.
I recently became very ill, and while I was sick, he was angry and unsympathetic. He wants to hear everything I am feeling -- not because he wants to help me but because he is taking mental notes. He doesn't even bring me any water or hot tea.
Years ago, I had a serious injury and required surgery. The doctor prescribed some pain medication for me to take because I would be in pain after the anesthesia wore off. At home, I slept. I woke up in horrible pain, and a few hours later I told my husband I was going to take my medication. To which he said, "You never take medicine anyway and my hip was hurting so I took them, and they don't do anything for you." My husband had taken three days of my pain medication while I slept. I cannot describe how upset I was.
It's exhausting.
He has not worked in 30 years. He claimed and was granted disability.
I just can't go on any more. I am retired and we have been married 15 years. He says he has been like this all his life.
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