Somatic Symptom Disorders Flashcards
What 4 characteristics do all somatic symptom disorders share?
- Focus is on at least one physical (somatic) symptom
- There are excessive thoughts, feelings or behaviors related to this symptom/s
- Health concerns have taken on a central role in an individual’s life
- Lasting for at least 6 months
Patient presents with Generalized Anxiety Disorder complicated with Illness Anxiety Disorder. What is the diagnosis?
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Illness Anxiety Disorder only diagnosed if it is the only diagnosis
Complex Somatic Symptom Disorder
Think you’re sick all the time b/c only way to get attention from ppl
Many physical symptoms, extend over years, chronic fluctuating course
May include symptoms from multiple systems: • Pain in different sites • GI symptoms • sexual symptoms • neurological conversion symptom
Not intentionally produced
Conversion disorder (Functional neurological symptom Disorder)
- One or more symptoms or deficits are present that affect voluntary motor or sensory function
- Not intentionally produced (not conscious)
- Cannot be fully explained by a general medical condition, direct effects of a substance, or cultural understanding
- Common types: motor symptoms, touch, vision, hearing, seizures, tremor
- Symptoms are often preceded by conflicts or stressors (may not be discoverable)
What is the only somatic symptom disorder that cannot be fully explained by a general medical
condition, direct effects of a substance, or cultural
understanding?
Conversion disorder (Functional neurological symptom Disorder)
What defense mechanism serves as one of the reasons that we as physicians should not treat our own family members?
Denial
unconscious blindness to unpleasant facts
What is Regression?
Going back to earlier learned behaviors under stress
ex: kids lose toilet training in the hospital
What is Displacement?
Redirecting one’s feelings onto another target
What is Transference?
Taking your previous experiences & transferring them onto the current situation
(going on all the time, but usually doesn’t get in the way – can be subset of Displacement)
Factitious Disorder (Munchaussen)
- Intentional feigning of or actual production of physical or psychological signs or symptoms
- No obvious external incentives for the behavior (such as economic gain, avoiding legal responsibility, or improving living conditions)
- Variant: Ganser syndrome – only psychological symptoms
- Variant: “Munchausen Syndrome by proxy” – form of child maltreatment
Major difference between Factitious Disorder & Malingering?
in Factitious Disorder, there is no obvious external benefit to being ill, whereas Malingering may be someone trying to stay out of jail or trying to get drugs
(behavior is conscious in both, motivation is unconscious in Factitious Disorder)
What is Malingering?
• Behavior of producing psychological or physical
symptoms is conscious
• Motivation is unconscious and possibly related to
desiring advantages of sick role (secondary gain
becomes overwhelmingly important)
• Often have co-morbid psychiatric conditions, very
difficult childhood experiences, etc.
What is the best way to schedule visits for a patient w/ a somatic symptom disorder?
Regular, frequent, brief appointments
What 2 somatic symptom disorders are most likely to respond to psychotherapy?
Illness anxiety disorder (“hypochondriasis”)
&
Functional neurologic symptom disorder (“conversion disorder”)
T or F? Somatic SYmptom Disorders are best treated with a combination of psychotherapy & pharmacological treatment?
False.
There is no pharmacological treatment for SSDs.
Psychotherapy is only/best Tx.