Eli5 Will someone explain to me, in lay terms, the difference between hypochondria and somatization?

Question

Eli5 Will someone explain to me, in lay terms, the difference between hypochondria and somatization?

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Answer 1

My understanding is that hypochondria is irrational fear and anxiety regarding one’s health and the fear you may have some severe illness even if you have no symptoms. Somatization is when the body has symptoms occur for an illness or such that you don’t have, almost like a placebo affect. For example if I was really stressed and began showing flu symptoms but turned out not to have the flu it could be the stress causing the symptoms.