A patient who fears serious heart disease was referred to the mental health center by a cardiologist after diagnostic evaluation showed no physical illness. The patient says, "My heart misses beats. I'm frequently absent from work. I don't go out much because I need to rest." Which health problem is most likely?

A) Depersonalization disorder
B) Antisocial personality disorder
C) Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis)
D) Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia)

Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis) involves a preoccupation with fears of having a serious disease, even when evidence to the contrary is available. The preoccupation causes impairment in social or occupational functioning. Depersonalization disorder involves recurrent periods of feeling unreal, detached, outside of the body, numb, dreamlike, or a distorted sense of time or visual perception. Persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia) is a disorder of lowered mood. Antisocial disorder applies to a personality disorder in which the individual has little regard for the rights of others.