Chapter 8

Question 0

What is meant by subjectivity of pain regarding pain disorder?

Answer 0

Pain is the subjective experience that is private and cannot be objectively identified by others

Question 1

Main types of somatic complaints

Somatization disorder

Answer 1

• 4 types of pain
• Gastrointestinal symptoms
• 1 sexual symptom
• 1 pseudoneurologial symptom

(Attention seeking, all psychological, reporting that something is wrong with self usually due to family mess)

Question 2

Hypochondriasis

Answer 2

Focus on disease rather than symptom. Onset after age 30. Preoccupied with concern that they have a serious disease. Most frequent somatiform. They know the PDF and shop around for validation.

Question 3

Pain disorder

Answer 3

People experience pain that started with a psychological trauma or stress. Pain so severe that it disables the patient from proper functioning.

Question 4

Conversion disorder

Answer 4

When people have neurological symptoms that can’t be traced back to a medical cause. Stress makes disorder worse.

Symptoms: paralysis, blindness, hearing loss, loss of sensation, numbness

Question 5

Causal factors of somatiform disorders

somatization, hypocondriasis, pain, conversion

Answer 5

Trauma, stress, previous illness, family illness or disorganisation