(no subject)

[semperfiona]

What's the opposite of hypochondriac?

Comments

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

Hypercondriac.

[corwin77.livejournal.com]

Me.

No Opposite. Thank you for playing!

[bbwoof.livejournal.com]

The instant response is "hyperchondriac," but this, of course, is incorrect. When referring to a person afflicted with hypochondriasis, "hypochondriac" is a noun. As such, it has no opposite.

As an adjective, "hypochondriac" refers to the region of the body (on either side) just beneath the floating ribs. This usage does not lend itself to a specific opposite, either...

A dictionary can be a dangerous thing!

Interestingly enough, dictionary.com had 6 entries for "hypochondria" and 6 for "hypochondriac"; but thesaurus.com had no entry for either.

[bbwoof.livejournal.com]

Why do you ask?

[semperfiona]

Thinking about myself in contrast with Momma. She's constantly turning tiny aches and pains into major illnesses in her head. Me, I avoid going to the doctor at almost all cost.

And my vote goes to "stoic".

[bbwoof.livejournal.com]

I like "stoic," but it doesn't quite cut it. Hypochondria is a delusion complex, but stoicism is a philosophy. They can't be opposites if they don't share a common axis.

Whenever I refer to myself as "stoic" as regards the seeking of medical care, my housemates insist that the correct identifier is "stubborn." Clearly, I get no respect; whatsa woofta do?

[semperfiona]

Seek commiseration from other stubborn people, clearly.

[supergee.livejournal.com]

iatrophobic

[lightning-rose.livejournal.com]

I don't think "stoic" is quite the word. To me "stoic" means "tolerating physical discomfort without complaint".

I seldom see a doctor more than once a year, and that's just to get my hormone script refilled. It's not that I put up with the discomfort of being sick, I just don't *get* sick.

The Black Knight, now *he* was stoic. :)

Supergee's right

[dakiwiboid.livejournal.com]

Iatrophobic covers it. That's not really a good condition to have either, you know, because you can end up ignoring serious conditions and end up in the hospital like someone in our household has a tendency to do. Prevention is a good thing.

Any of these sound like what you're looking for?

[niemandofchaos.livejournal.com]

In some cases, 'denial' is probably more appropriate, depending on the root of the aversion. But iatrophobic is probably most technically correct. If you want to see good reasons for iatrophobia, check my most recent (but still not very, and somewhat lengthy and rambling) post. I'll caution you that there is some pretty serious squick potential there (but you might get a smile or two in other places).

Hypopathophobia? Hippocratophobia? Nosocomephobia? Pharmacophobia? Tapinophobia? Tomophobia? Toxicophobia? Trypanophobia? Eupepsiphobia? Hygeiaphobia? Vitaphobia?

I have hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia, macroxenoglossophobia, and sesquipedalophobia; you have no idea how hard that was for me to type. How about ortographobia (did I spell that right)?

I hope you didn't mind me disturbing you on your cell when I thought you were at A'con.