Psychology Facts

▲ 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.

》The physical symptoms may or may not be associated with a diagnosed medical condition, but the person is experiencing symptoms and believes they are sick (that is, not faking the illness).

》Symptoms of somatic symptom disorder may be:

Specific sensations, such as pain or shortness of breath, or more general symptoms, such as fatigue or weakness

Unrelated to any medical cause that can be identified, or related to a medical condition such as cancer or heart disease, but more significant than what's usually expected

A single symptom, multiple symptoms or varying symptoms

Mild, moderate or severe

》Pain is the most common symptom, but whatever your symptoms, you have excessive thoughts, feelings or behaviors related to those symptoms, which cause significant problems, make it difficult to function and sometimes can be disabling.

These thoughts, feelings and behaviors can include:
Constant worry about potential illness

Viewing normal physical sensations as a sign of severe physical illness

Fearing that symptoms are serious, even when there is no evidence

Thinking that physical sensations are threatening or harmful

Feeling that medical evaluation and treatment have not been adequate

Fearing that physical activity may cause damage to your body

Repeatedly checking your body for abnormalities

Frequent health care visits that don't relieve your concerns or that make them worse

Being unresponsive to medical treatment or unusually sensitive to medication side effects
Having a more severe impairment than is usually expected from a medical condition

》For somatic symptom disorder, more important than the specific physical symptoms you experience is the way you interpret and react to the symptoms and how they impact your daily life.

》The exact cause of somatic symptom disorder isn't clear, but any of these factors may play a role:

Genetic and biological factors,
such as an increased sensitivity to pain

Family influence,
which may be genetic or environmental, or both

Personality trait of negativity,
which can impact how you identify and perceive illness and bodily symptoms

Decreased awareness of or problems processing emotions,
causing physical symptoms to become the focus rather than the emotional issues

Learned behavior — for example, the attention or other benefits gained from having an illness; or "pain behaviors" in response to symptoms, such as excessive avoidance of activity, which can increase your level of disability

》Risk factors for somatic symptom disorder include:

Having anxiety or depression

Having a medical condition or recovering from one

Being at risk of developing a medical condition, such as having a strong family history of a disease

Experiencing stressful life events, trauma or violence

Having experienced past trauma, such as childhood sexual abuse

Having a lower level of education and socio-economic status

》Left untreated, somatic syndrome disorder can lead to:

Limited daily function.

Unemployment or poor work performance.

Psychological disability.

Decreased quality of life.

Alcohol and substance use disorders.

》If you've been diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder, taking the following steps will likely aid in your treatment:

Develop a supportive relationship with your primary healthcare provider.

Only have one primary care provider. This will help you avoid getting unneeded tests and procedures.

See your healthcare provider regularly to review your physical symptoms and how you're coping.

See your mental health provider regularly to help manage and monitor your psychological symptoms, such as excessive worry and fear.

》The goal of treating somatic symptom disorder is to manage physical symptoms, as well as psychological symptoms using psychotherapy (talk therapy) and sometimes medications that treat underlying anxiety and depression.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help you:

Evaluate your feelings and beliefs about your physical symptoms and health in general.

Find ways to reduce stress and anxiety about your symptoms.

Stop focusing as much on your physical symptoms.

Recognize what seems to make your physical symptoms worse.

Find ways to stay active and social, even if you still have pain or other symptoms.

Function better in your daily life.