Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) occurs when a person feels extreme, exaggerated anxiety about physical symptoms. The person has such intense thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to the symptoms, that they feel they cannot do some of the activities of daily life. They may believe routine medical problems are life threatening. This anxiety may not improve despite normal test results and reassurance from the health care provider. Show A person with SSD is not faking their symptoms. The pain and other problems are real. They may be caused by a medical problem. Often, no physical cause can be found. However, it is the extreme reaction and behaviors about the symptoms that are the main problem. SSD usually begins before age 30. It occurs more often in women than in men. It's not clear why some people develop this condition. Certain factors may be involved:
People who have a history of physical or sexual abuse may be more likely to have this disorder. But not everyone with SSD has a history of abuse. SSD is similar to illness anxiety disorder (hypochondria). This is when people are overly anxious about becoming sick or developing a serious disease. They fully expect they will become very ill at some point. Unlike SSD, with illness anxiety disorder, there are few or no actual physical symptoms. Physical symptoms that can occur with SSD may include:
Symptoms may be mild to severe. There may be one or more symptoms. They may come and go or change. Symptoms may be due to a medical condition but they also may have no clear cause. How people feel and behave in response to these physical sensations are the main symptoms of SSD. These reactions must persist for 6 months or more. People with SSD may:
You will have a complete physical exam. Your provider may do certain tests to find any physical causes. The types of tests that are done depend on what symptoms you have. Your provider may refer you to a mental health provider. The mental health provider may do further testing. The goal of treatment is to control your symptoms and help you function in life. Having a supportive relationship with your provider is vital for your treatment.
You may also see a mental health provider (therapist). It's important to see a therapist who has experience treating SSD. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a type of talk therapy that can help treat SSD. Working with a therapist can help relieve your pain and other symptoms. During therapy, you will learn to:
Your therapist will also treat depression or other mental health illnesses you may have. You may take antidepressants to help relieve anxiety and depression. You should not be told that your symptoms are imaginary or all in your head. Your provider should work with you to manage both physical and emotional symptoms. If not treated, you may have:
SSD is a long-term (chronic) condition. Working with your providers and following your treatment plan is important for managing with this disorder. You should contact your provider if you:
Counseling may help people who are prone to SSD learn other ways of dealing with stress. This may help reduce the intensity of symptoms. Somatic symptom and related disorders; Somatization disorder; Somatiform disorders; Briquet syndrome; Illness anxiety disorder American Psychiatric Association. Somatic symptom disorder. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2013:311-315. Gerstenblith TA, Kontos N. Somatic symptom disorders. In: Stern TA, Fava M, Wilens TE, Rosenbaum JF, eds. Massachusetts General Hospital Comprehensive Clinical Psychiatry. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016:chap 24. Updated by: Fred K. Berger, MD, DLFAPA, addiction and forensic psychiatrist, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. What is the important factor in diagnosing somatic symptom disorder?Somatic symptom disorder is diagnosed when a person has a significant focus on physical symptoms, such as pain, weakness or shortness of breath, to a level that results in major distress and/or problems functioning. The individual has excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviors relating to the physical symptoms.
How do you treat patients who have somatic symptom disorders?Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, can be helpful for somatic symptom disorder. Sometimes medications may be added, especially if you're struggling with feeling depressed.
What do the somatic symptom and related disorders all have in common?Somatic symptom and related disorders (SSDs) are a group of diseases in which youth have physical symptoms that are either very distressing or result in significant disruption of their daily functioning, as well as excessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors regarding those symptoms.
Is the somatic symptom have medical explanation?Although a person with somatic symptom disorder reports symptoms, the symptoms may have no medical explanation or be normal body sensations or discomfort. Even when there's a medical cause, the person's worry is out of proportion to the symptom.
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