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What Can I Do to Help a Hypochondriac?

Gary Zimak

Gary Zimak shares his own struggles with hypochondria and explains how developing and deepening his relationship with Jesus helped him overcome his inordinate fear of death.

Transcript:

Host: Michelle in York, Nebraska, listening on Spirit Catholic Radio 102.7 FM. Michelle, your question for Gary Zimak.

Caller: Hi, thanks for taking my call, and I just want to say Hi, Gary. I had the pleasure and honor of introducing you when you came to speak at McCool Junction at our church, so anyways…

Gary: Oh, yes! Great to talk to you again! Good to talk to you!

Caller: Anyway, I have a special person in my life who is sort of a hypochondriac. They’re very concerned about a certain pain that they’re having, and they’ve gone to several doctors…everyone says nothing’s wrong, lots and lots of tests, it’s really taking a toll on their family. And I was just wondering, whatever your resources, maybe I could provide to him that would help, or what would you recommend?

Gary: Well first of all, Michelle, I want to say, the last time I was in McCool Junction it was 10 degrees below zero. Has it warmed up a little since then?

Caller: It is warm, it’s 63 degrees.

Gary: Alright, that’s much better. Hey, I want to say, first, it’s great to hear from you again. But, you know, in all my books I make it clear I’ve always suffered with being a hypochondriac. That’s my weakness. I had every disease imaginable, at least in my mind, and really I didn’t have any of them, as it turned out. The way I have been able to combat this is…again, I sound like I’m saying the same thing over and over but it really is true: the more I have gotten to know Jesus, the more I have been able to read in Scripture, to read his promises, to read about how much he loves me, about how much my Heavenly Father cares about me, the less I am concerned with death.

I guess that was my big fear, I was afraid to die, and the fear led to being a hypochondriac. I was afraid of all these different diseases. The personal relationship with Christ, getting to know him better, has taken away that fear of dying; and accepting whatever his will is for my life, that’s gotten better; so that’s what I would say, I mean, it really boils down to getting to know Jesus. And that has worked tremendously for me. I still have a tendency, especially with my family; if they get an illness, I start to think fatally initially, then I have to catch myself and and go back to the relationship with Jesus. But that works for me

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