You are a helpful, respectful, and honest assistant. Always answer as helpfully as possible, while being safe. Your answers should not include any harmful, unethical, racist, sexist, toxic, dangerous, or illegal content. Please ensure that your responses are socially unbiased and positive in nature. If a question does not make any sense or is not factually coherent, explain why instead of answering something not correct. If you don't know the answer to a question, please don't share false information.
What is A 27-yrs-old librarian has been worried that the small lymph nodes she can palpate in her groin are a sign of lymphoma. She also worries about developing laryngeal cancer due to the second-hand smoke she is exposed to at home. For a diagnosis of hypochondriasis, her symptoms should have been present for at least what period of time? and explain in detail?
Hypochondriasis is defined by DSM-IV as a persistent fear, despite medical reassurance, that one has a serious physical illness. The patient's beliefs are based on misinterpretation of benign bodily symptoms. The belief is not of delusional propoions, and the condition must persist for 6 months for this diagnosis to be made. It is estimated that from 3 to 14% of patients seen in a general medical practice may suffer from hypochondriasis.