Somatic Symptom and Dissociative Disorders

These flashcards cover key definitions and concepts related to somatic symptom and dissociative disorders discussed in the lecture.

Somatic Symptom Disorder

A disorder characterized by excessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to physical symptoms that are real but disproportionate to any actual medical condition.

Functional Neurological Symptom/Conversion Disorder

A condition where individuals experience motor or sensory dysfunction that cannot be explained by a neurological condition, often with dramatic symptoms such as paralysis or blindness.

Glove Anesthesia

A condition often cited in conversion disorder where a person experiences numbness in the hand that is anatomically impossible, as the nerves do not stop at the wrist.

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Formerly known as hypochondria, this disorder involves persistent fears about having a serious illness despite medical reassurance.

Malingering

A condition where a person intentionally produces or exaggerates symptoms for external benefits, not considered a psychological disorder.

Factitious Disorder

A disorder where a person intentionally produces or feigns symptoms of illness to assume the sick role, without any external incentives.

Dissociative Disorders

A group of disorders involving disruptions in consciousness, memory, identity, emotions, perception, body representation, motor control, and behavior.

Depersonalization

A dissociative experience characterized by feeling detached from one's own body.

Derealization

A dissociative experience marked by feelings of unreality or unfamiliarity about one's environment.

Dissociative Amnesia

An inability to recall important personal information, usually related to stressful or traumatic events.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A complex psychological condition where a person has two or more distinct personality states, significant disruptions in identity, and memory problems.