Chapter 5: Somatic Symptom Disorders and Dissociative Disorders

Question 1

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Answer 1

physical complaints without a clear cause

severe anxiety about the possibility of having a serious disease

medical reassurance does not seem to help

spending all their time feeling discomfort–usually no visible symptoms

Causes: cognitive perceptual distortions, familial history illness

Treatment: challenge illness-related misinterpretations, provide more education and sensitive reassurance, stress management and coping strategies, CBT, antidepressants

Question 2

Conversion Disorder

Answer 2

physical malfunctioning of sensory or motor functioning (e.g. blindness or difficulty speaking)

lack physical or organic pathology

persons may show “la belle indifference”

they are NOT doing this on purpose, it’s a psychological coper to a stressor (cause)

Treatment: treat the trauma–this will make the physical symptom go away

Question 3

Factitious Disorders

Answer 3

purposefully faking physical symptoms

may actually induce physical symptoms of just pretend to have esteem

no obvious external gains (malingering), wants ATTENTION

Can be imposed on another (e.g. parent impose it on their child, continue it because of the attention they get from the child)

Treatment: CBT(?)

Question 4

Malingering

Answer 4

physical symptoms are faked for the purpose of achieving a concrete objective

Question 5

Somatic Symptom Disorder

Answer 5

chronic pain that is medically unexplained

Treatment: CBT, “gate keeper” physician

Question 6

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

Answer 6

Dissociation of personality

adoption of several new identities (as many as 100; average 15)

identities display unique behaviors, voice, and postures

Unique Aspects:

1) Alters–different identities or personalities
2) Host–the identity that keeps other identities together
3) Switch–quick transition from one personality to another

Cause: always trauma. It is a way to cope with the trauma.

Treatment: work on trauma

Question 7

False Memories

Answer 7

when said by people with authority and people you trust, can create false memories

therapist needs to be well trained in memory function and be careful not to suggest an untrue history by mistake