Do I have hypochondria?

I've always been something of a hypochondriac, although my friends and family know nothing about it. As a child, I would regularly convince myself that I had appendicitis. As a teenager, I worried about being pregnant despite never having had vaginal intercourse. As a college student, I worked in a hospice for late-stage AIDS patients. Although I never had contact with blood or semen, I convinced myself that I may have contracted HIV somehow by doing their laundry with some kind of minor cuts on my hands I never noticed, or because a patient drooled on my hands. I've been tested at least three times since then, but I still haven't gotten over it and am nervously preoccupied with the idea that I have infected the whole two people that I've ever slept with. At the moment, I'm also convinced I have cancer. I *know* I'm completely wrong about all of this... I know, I know. And get this: I'm in medical school now. It's only going to get worse. Help me!


Are there any ways to stop crying?

Are there any techniques for controlling crying? I doubt that my problem requires clinical attention; however, it frequently manifests itself as a serious handicap. During conflicts (particularly with professional superiors or with significant others), I find myself unable to defend my position, which only makes the problem worse. Sympathy only tends to aggravate the crying and it is impossible to stop once it starts. I am a twenty-four-year-old graduate student, and I don't seem to be growing out of it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.


Are moles that change color or increase in number a cause for concern?

1) Over the span of the last couple of years, I have noticed a significant number of moles appearing on my body. They have been appearing everywhere from my neck to my inner thighs. I had one on my neck since childhood, but now have so many more. Is this normal? Is it something I should be concerned with? And does child bearing have any relevance to this happening?

2) I have a mole which has turned very dark purple, and grown a bit in size (still small). This is the second time it has done this — last time was a couple of weeks ago, and it slowly faded back to almost nothing until today. Should I be very concerned about this?


Why do I keep getting UTIs and yeast infrections?

I'm really stressed out because I've been getting recurring urinary tract infections coupled with yeast infections for the last six months. I'm not sexually active and I've been to two urologists and a gynecologist — they've all given me medication but the problems always turn up again. Is one problem causing the other? Can these prolonged problems be doing serious damage to my body? Perhaps you can't answer my questions either, but I'm really at my wit's end. What do I do? I'm tired of doctors and embarrassing exams and I can't understand why this is happening if I'm not having sex. Also, I'm a senior and in five weeks I'm out of health insurance — extending my parent's policy is very expensive and not an option. I'm busy trying to set up interviews, finish a thesis, and do a million things — I don't have time to be running around to more doctors' appointments! What insurance options are there for recent graduates?