Somatic Disorders

Question 1

Hallmark of somatic disorders

Answer 1

Extreme concern with functioning of body

Either lack of symptoms or focus that is more than actual symptoms warrant

Question 2

Somatic symptom disorder

Answer 2

One or more somatic complaints that disrupts daily life
Presence of actual symptoms, but focus is disproportionate to symptoms
Persistent (generally more than 6 months)
Children usually focus on 1 symptom, whereas adults are usually more undifferentiated

Question 3

Doctor shopping

Answer 3

Common behavior in somatic disorders

Mistrust of doctor’s report that patient is fine, so patient goes on to the next one

Question 4

Epidemiology of somatic symptom disorder

Answer 4

Sex: slightly more common in women

Age of onset: early adulthood (most common)

Question 5

Causes and contributors to somatic symptom disorder

Answer 5

Negative affect (tendency to feel negative emotions more strongly)
Family history of illness
Learned sick role (negative reinforcement for sick behavior)
Secondary gain (attention)
Psychological naivety

Question 6

Psychological naivety

Answer 6

Don’t understand or don’t accept the influence of the mind

When you don’t believe in psychological disorders, you see psychological issues as physical ones

Question 7

Treatments for somatic symptom disorder

Answer 7

CBT is marginally effective
Education and reassurance, stress management (decrease physiological symptoms), reducing help seeking behaviors, addressing areas of impairment

Question 8

Illness anxiety disorder

Answer 8

Preoccupation of having or acquiring a serious illness
Somatic symptoms either mild or not present
Present for 6 months

Question 9

Subtypes of illness anxiety disorder

Answer 9

Care-seeking type: frequent visits to the physician with procedures and tests used
Care-avoidant type: medical care rarely used

Question 10

Epidemiology of illness anxiety disorder

Answer 10

Sex: equal

Age of onset: higher rates as people age (older people focus more on body than younger people)

Question 11

Contributors to illness anxiety disorder

Answer 11

Cognitive misinterpretation of usually normal physical sensations
Learned sick role
Secondary gain
History of childhood abuse or illness
Prior health scare

Question 12

Treatments for illness anxiety disorder

Answer 12

CBT is marginally effective
Education and reassurance, restructuring beliefs, stress management, exposure (re-create physical sensations of which person is afraid)

Question 13

Conversion disorder

Answer 13

Neurological symptom in the absence of any physiological cause
Examples of symptoms: paralysis, tics, seizures, speech problems, sensory loss, special sensory symptom (blind, deaf)

Question 14

Conversion disorder epidemiology

Answer 14

Prevalence: 0.001-0.03% (super rare)
Sex: 2:1 female to male
Age: anytime
Course: often remits within a few weeks (when stressor is relieved, symptoms go away)

Question 15

Possible causes of conversion disorder

Answer 15

Presence of true disorder
Secondary gain
Mass hysteria
Response to traumatic event

Question 16

Treatments for conversion disorder

Answer 16

CBT: help person cope with trauma/stressor, reduce secondary gain

Question 17

Pseudocyesis

Answer 17

False belief of being pregnant

Subjective signs present (morning sickness, temporary lack of menstruation, belief that baby bump is present)

Question 18

Factitious disorder imposed on self

Answer 18

Fake or deliberately induce illness in self

No apparent external gain other than attention

Question 19

Factitious disorder imposed on another

Answer 19

Fake or deliberately induce illness on other person
Oftentimes child of person (child abuse)
No apparent external gain other than attention

Question 20

Malingering

Answer 20

Deliberately faking a disorder for tangible gain (money, getting out of work, reduced prison sentence, etc.)
Harder to detect with mental symptoms than physical symptoms