She’s not a medical doctor-she doesn’t even work in the field but 28-year-old “Jenny” from West Seattle can tell you the signs and symptoms of countless cancers, disorders, rashes, and deadly infections.

She is obsessed with researching her endless and rotating list of medical anxieties.

"My symptoms change from day to day and might stick around for awhile, like now I have: a nagging cough (cancer, emphysema), pain in my hands and arms (arthritis, carpal tunnel), shooting pain in my left breast that comes and goes (breast cancer), tooth ache (root canal, major infection, heart problems). I sort of could go on and on here” Jenny states.

It prevents her from enjoying basic aspects of everyday life, like cooking a simple meal, because she’s constantly distracted by her worries. “I want to join a yoga class, but I stop myself because think my life has to be in better order before I start something new.”

She says her distrust in mental health professionals holds her back from getting formally diagnosed as a hypochondriac.

“Part of me would feel relieved to hear that I am a hypochondriac,” she confesses. “The other part of me knows there might not be a silver bullet or an easy answer if that’s what I am.”

“I’m also dealing with severe anxiety everyday. I’m not sure where to start but I have to take action. I’m ready for a change” she adds, with determination.

This scenario is particularly common in cases of hypochondria or what is sometimes referred to as severe medical anxiety. According to the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle, it’s believed that approximately one in 20 people who visit physicians on an outpatient basis suffer from this impairing condition.

“People with hypochondria carry a persistent fear that real or imagined physical symptoms point to a serious illness, even when medical evidence suggests the contrary” states a Swedish Medical Center therapist.

Jenny works 30 hours a week for a non-profit organization in West Seattle and helps place volunteers with low-income elderly folks to help with household chores and repairs. She finds her job very rewarding and likes helping people in need.

“Some nights I stay up too late reading about all the possible causes of a symptom I’m having and then realize I’m going to be tired for work the next day,” she admits.

This week Jenny thought she had chlamydia because she heard a report on the radio mentioning a symptom she’s been experiencing. "I’m so scared this is true that I’m almost paralyzed today and will not be happy again until I see the doctor. It’s too much to keep up with. It’s too time consuming."

A few days later she’s worried about another set of symptoms that she describes as, “tingling and pressure in my chest, and in my stomach and legs.”

Frustrated she adds, “I even thought for a while I was getting Multiple Sclerosis. I don't even know what MS really is, but I see on billboards that it is prevalent in Seattle. I purposefully have not looked it up because I know it won't be good for me.”

Editor’s note: This is the first of three installments of this story. This story continues next week.