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In an old joke, a Frenchman, a German, and a Jew walk into a bar. \\u201cI\\u2019m tired and thirsty,\\u201d says the Frenchman. \\u201cI must have wine.\\u201d \\u201cI\\u2019m tired and thirsty,\\u201d says the German. \\u201cI must have some beer.\\u201d \\u201cI\\u2019m tired and thirsty,\\u201d says the Jew. \\u201cI must have diabetes.\\u201d

Hypochondria is a staple of Jewish humor, but the neurotic disorder is by no means the exclusive domain of Jews, nor is it necessarily funny. Those who suffer from it are consumed by anxiety over the imagined progression of illness in their bodies and obsessively take note of symptoms real or imagined. It disrupts work and family life. And it taxes the healthcare system, as hypochondriacs seek second, third, fourth, and fifth opinions and demand test after test.

This week Vox Tablet presents the radio documentary \\u201cLiving With Hypochondria: The Real Costs of Imagined Illness,\\u201d written and produced by Karen Brown and first aired on WFCR in New England. It takes an in-depth look at...

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