My 60-year-old partner is a hypochondriac. This does not mean his health problems are not real, it's just that his benign health problems are catastrophes in his mind. He has decided that he can no longer do backpacking trips because he's afraid he'll die even though he is not going to die from his problems.
We met hiking with the Sierra Club. Hiking has been the glue that makes our relationship worthwhile. He is a grumpy old man who veges out in front of the TV all the time. On the trails he he happy and alive. It's like the happy and alive man died all of a sudden.
I don't want to quit hiking to convalesce from imaginary fatal illnesses in front of the TV for the rest of my life. I want to go backpacking. He will no longer go and he acts sort of passive-aggressive about me planning trips to do by myself. I could find guys to hike with, but I think it would not look good to go backpacking alone with another man. Finding women to hike with is a lot harder and honestly, I am one of those women who has guy friends and never has gal friends.
Any advice for me? How to deal with a hypochondriac? How to continue to do the things you enjoy under passive-aggressive pressure to stop? I am thinking of leaving him or separating, moving away to get a new job. Is hypochondria so hopeless I should just do that?