Chapter 21: Somatic Symptom Illnesses

Involves unexplained, usually sudden deficits in sensory or motor function (e.g., blindness, paralysis). These deficits suggest a neurologic disorder but are associated with psychological factors. There is usually significant functional impairment.

Conversion disorder

excessive or repeated online health-related information seeking that leads to or amplifies health anxiety and distress.

Cyberchondria

Preoccupation with the fear that one has a serious disease.

Disease conviction

Preoccupation with the fear that one will get a serious disease.

Disease phobia

in which people feign or intentionally produce symptoms for some purpose or gain.

Fabricated or induced illness

Occurs when a person intentionally produces or feigns physical or psychological symptoms solely to gain attention. The common term for factitious disorder imposed on self is Munchausen syndrome.

Factitious disorder, imposed on self

when a person inflicts illness or injury on someone elseto gain the attention of emergency medical personnel or to be a "hero" for saving the victim

Factitious disorder, imposed on others

commonly called Munchausen syndrome by proxy

They refer to physical symptoms and limitations of function that has no medical diagnoses to explain their existence

characterized by ambiguous, non-specific symptoms that appear in otherwise-healthy people

Functional somatic syndrome

Formerly illness anxiety disorder, is preoccupation with the fear that one has a serious disease (disease conviction) or will get a serious disease (disease phobia)

Hypochondriasis

Refers to multiple physical complaints with no organic basis; the complaints are usually described dramatically

Hysteria

Preoccupation with the fear that one has a serious disease (disease conviction) or will get a serious disease (disease phobia).

Illness anxiety disorder

Psychosocial theorists believe that people with somatic symptom illnesses keep stress, anxiety, or frustration inside rather than expressing them outwardly.

Clients express these internalized feelings and stress through physical symptoms (somatization)

Internalization

A seeming lack of concern or distress, about the functional loss in conversion disorder

La belle indifférence

The intentional production of false or grossly exaggerated physical or psychological symptoms; it is motivated by external incentives such as avoiding work, evading criminal prosecution, obtaining financial compensation, or obtaining drugs.

Malingering

They refer to the physical symptoms and limitations of function that has no medical diagnoses to explain their existence

Medically unexplained symptoms (MUS)

The common term for factitious disorder imposed on self.  

Munchausen syndrome

A variation of factitious disorder, imposed on others, and occurs when a person inflicts illness or injury on someone else to gain the attention of emergency medical personnel or to be a "hero" for saving the victim.

Munchausen syndrome by proxy

Has the primary physical symptom of pain, which is generally unrelieved by analgesics and greatly affected by psychological factors in terms of onset, severity, exacerbation, and maintenance.

Pain disorder

term began to be used to convey the connection between the mind and the body states of health and illness. Essentially, the mind can cause the body either to create physical symptoms or to worsen physical illnesses.  

Psychosomatic

Is characterized by one or more physical symptoms that have no organic basis. Individuals spend a lot of time and energy focused on health concerns, often believe symptoms to be indicative of serious illness, and experience significant distress and anxiety about their health.

Somatic symptom disorder

The transference of mental experiences and states into bodily symptoms.

Somatization

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Somatic Symptom Illnesses

• Presence of physical symptoms suggesting medical conditions without organic basis.

• Psychological factors influence symptoms.

• Symptoms are not under conscious control.

• Clients believe they have serious physical problems.

Types of Somatic Symptom Illnesses:

• Somatic Symptom Disorder: Physical symptoms without organic basis; focus on health concerns.

• Conversion Disorder: Unexplained sensory or motor deficits; psychological factors involved.

• Pain Disorder: Primary symptom is pain, influenced by psychological factors.

• Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis): Preoccupation with fear of serious illness.

Types of Somatic Symptom Illnesses:

• __________________: Physical symptoms without organic basis; focus on health concerns.

• __________________: Unexplained sensory or motor deficits; psychological factors involved.

• __________________: Primary symptom is pain, influenced by psychological factors.

• __________________: Preoccupation with fear of serious illness.

Types of Somatic Symptom Illnesses:

• Somatic Symptom Disorder: Physical symptoms without organic basis; focus on health concerns.

• Conversion Disorder: Unexplained sensory or motor deficits; psychological factors involved.

• Pain Disorder: Primary symptom is pain, influenced by psychological factors.

• Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis): Preoccupation with fear of serious illness.

 Somatic Symptom Illnesses

is most prevalent among

women

Onset and Clinical Course

• Somatic symptom disorder: __________________

• Conversion disorder: __________________

• Pain/illness anxiety disorder: __________________

• Somatic symptom disorder: adolescence/early adulthood.

• Conversion disorder: ages 10-35.

• Pain/illness anxiety disorder: any age.

 Related Disorders

• __________________: Intentional production of false symptoms for external gain.

• __________________: Intentional production of symptoms for attention.

• __________________: Inflicting illness on others for attention.

• __________________: Physical symptoms without medical explanation.

• Malingering: Intentional production of false symptoms for external gain.

• Factitious Disorder (Munchausen Syndrome): Intentional production of symptoms for attention.

• Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy: Inflicting illness on others for attention.

• Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS): Physical symptoms without medical explanation.

Inability to identify emotions.

Alexithymia