Acting against or treating hypochondria, the condition of excessively worrying about having diseases.
From anti- (against) + hypochondriac (relating to excessive health anxiety). Hypochondria derives from hypochondrium (the upper abdominal region), once believed to be the seat of melancholy and worry.
Doctors once thought imaginary illnesses were literally caused by problems in the abdomen, which is why the disorder is named 'hypo-' (under) '-chondrium' (cartilage)—ancient medicine got the body part wrong but picked up on the psychological pattern.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.