Which disorder is characterized by a preoccupation with having a serious illness despite mild symptoms?

Illness Anxiety Disorder is characterized by an excessive preoccupation with having a serious medical illness, despite having only mild symptoms or even no symptoms at all. This disorder entails a significant focus on health, often leading individuals to misinterpret their bodily sensations or normal physiological responses as indicative of severe health problems. This persistent anxiety can cause considerable distress and impairment in various areas of functioning.

In the context of the other disorders, they represent different clinical presentations. Conversion Disorder involves the presence of neurological symptoms that are incompatible with medically explained conditions, often related to psychological stress. Factitious Disorder entails individuals deliberately falsifying or producing symptoms of illness for the purpose of assuming the sick role, motivated by the desire for attention or sympathy. Psychological Factors Affecting Other Medical Conditions is defined by the presence of psychological or behavioral factors that adversely affect a physical health condition. Each of these presents unique diagnostic criteria and implications that differentiate them from Illness Anxiety Disorder, which focuses primarily on the unfounded fear of severe illness despite minimal evidence to support such beliefs.