Somatic Symptom Disorder Part 1

What does somatic mean?

Somatic means anything that has to do with the body, it is a physical symptom, like a head ache

What was somatic symptom disorder called before?

Psychosomatic disorder

What does somatic symptom disorder mean?

Is characterized by excessive thoughts, feelings, behaviors that are related to somatic symptoms

What do individuals with somatic symptom disorder experience?

Real physical symptoms, but their thoughts, feelings and/or behaviors must be considered excessive or disproportionate to the symptoms

What do the common somatic symptoms include?

-Pain (back pain, chest pain, headaches)

-Gastrointestinal issues

-Pseudo neurological symptoms (e.g., pseudo seizures)

The common somatic symptoms are not proportion to the actual event.

True

What does psuedo mean psuedo seizures?

Fake

What are pseudo seizures?

Real seizures but aren’t caused by epilepsy, suddenly can’t feel eye or hand but there’s nothing actually wrong

What is functional neurological symptom/conversion disorder?

symptoms of altered motor or sensory dysfunction, it has to do with senses like smelling, tasting, hearing, touching and seeing

Functional neurological symptom/conversion disorder can be dramatic, such as paralysis or blindness

True

How much percentage of people have been diagnosed with functional neurological symptom disorder?

4%

What was found later on with the people who were diagnosed with functional neurological symptom disorder?

It was later found to have a diagnosable medical condition

In functional neurological symptom disorder, which symptoms are more common than sensory deficits?

Motor symptoms like for instance, when a person can’t move because their arm is paralyzed

Symptoms of functional neurological symptom disorder do follow the neurological patterns of the human body

False, does not follow

What is an example of functional neurological symptom/conversion disorder?

Glove anesthesia

What is glove anesthesia?

loss of sensitivity in the hand and wrist. This was most likely something that people thought was there, but wasn’t actually there

Who was experiencing glove anesthesia from functional neurological symptom/conversion disorder? and what was her story?

Ana O, where she couldn’t feel her hand from the wrist down, this is not neurologically possible because nerves come from the spine to the tips of the toes. The reason that she couldn’t feel her hand was because she was planning on killing her birthgiver with a knife, so since she couldn’t hold the knife due to her losing sensation in her hand, she had no chance of killing. That is when Freud found out that it was a conversion disorder, and ended up inventing the talking cure for her. Invented psychotherapy, psychosomatic. When she talked it out in therapy, her hand suddenly felt okay again, which meant that this was something she created in her head, which led to the numbness in her hand from the thought of killing her birth giver with a knife.

What is illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondria?)

People that are constantly sick, always going to the doctor, physical issues. But there is nothing actually wrong with them.

What is an example of illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondria?)

cough for more than two weeks, gas pain, pneumonia, doctor says nothing is wrong. But a hypochondriac keeps going to different doctors

What describes people with illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondria?)

-They develop fears or concerns about having an illness persist despite medical reassurance

-They have high level of worry about health and are easily alarmed about possibility of having an illness

What are the typical behaviors of people with illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondria?)

-Seeking reassurance from medical professionals

-Moniter their own physical status

-Avoid fear-provoking situations

People with illness anxiety disorder (formerly hypochondria) are healthier than everyone else, yet they always suspect that something is wrong

True

What are the two reasons of somatic-related disorders involving intentionally produced symptoms?

-To make money

-Get out of trouble

According to Somatic-related disorders involving intentionally produced symptoms. What is malingering?

Just a criminal activity where a person intentionally produces or exaggerates physical or psychological symptoms to gain external benefits.

Malingering is a psychological disorder

False

According to Somatic-related disorders involving intentionally produced symptoms, what is malingering distinguished by?

The individual having awareness of feigning symptoms for external gain

According to Somatic-related disorders involving intentionally produced symptoms, what is an example of malingering?

Tells professionals that their neck, head hurts after a car accident, lawsuit, make money