Somatic Symtom Disorders and Dissociative Disorders Flashcards
What is Hypochondriac?
Somatic disorder - excessive health care use with no physical symptoms
How are somatic disorders diagnosed?
By exclusion
What age is onset for Somatic Symptoms Disorder?
30 to 40 years
What is specified with Somatic Symptoms Disorder?
with predominant pain
What are the DSM-V criteria for Somatic Symptoms Disorder?
- Excessive thoughts, feelings and behaviours related to health that result in:
- Disproportionate and passionate thoughts
- Persistent high anxiety about health and symptoms
- Excessive time and energy related to symptoms - Exists for more than 6 months
- Excessive medical history
Is Somatic Symptoms Disorder higher in males or females?
Females
Is there a family history?
Yes - considered female version of antisocial personality disorder
What are the DSM-V criteria for Illness Anxiety Disorder?
- Somatic symptoms not present or mild
- Perform excessive and maladaptive health related behaviour
- Must be present for 6 months
- Previously called hypochondriac
- Somatosensory amplification - more aware of body sensations
Define Illness Anxiety Disorder?
Preoccupation with having or acquiring illness
Define Conversion Disorder
Symptoms mimic neurological or medical conditions even though there are no physical cause eg eyes don’t work
What percentage of Conversion Disorder patients are later diagnosised with medical condition?
10 to 15%
What are the DSM-V criteria for Conversion Disorder?
- Disconnect between emotional and physical feelings/pain
- Inconsistencies between symptoms and anatomical symptoms
- Unexpected course of development eg paraplegia results in muscle tone loss
- Selective symptomatology eg blind can still avoid walking into things
What is Fractious Disorder?
Deliberately creating symptoms on self or others for attention eg Munchhausen
What is Malingering Disorder?
Deliberately creating symptoms for compensation (usually financial) or to avoid a negative event.
What is the Biological Aetiology of Somatic Disorders?
- Antisocial personality disorder in males is the flip of somatic disorders in females (neuro inhibition problem)
- Begins early in life
- Chronic
- Predominate among lower SES groups
- Difficult to treat
- Marital discord, substance abuse, suicide attempts
What are the Psychodynamic views of the aeitology of Somatic Disorders?
Negative feelings are repressed and converted to physical symptoms
What are the Cognitive views of the aeitology of Somatic Disorders?
- Symptoms are a form of communication
- Correlated with Alexithymia
- Misinterpretation of body sensations
- Negative affect - worry and pessimism predicts somatisation
- Family or personal history - illness attracts rewards
What is Alexithymia?
- Can’t identify or express emotions
- Poor capacity for fantasizing
How do stressors could cause Somatic Disorders?
- Traumatic event is experienced
- Conflict is repressed and made unconscious
- Anxiety increases and converted into physical pain (primary gain)
- Increased attention and sympathy received (secondary gain)
Is there any evidence of child abuse and somatisation?
No
What cultures have more Somatoform disorders?
Those that discourage open discussion of psychological problems
What is the best treatment for Somatic Disorders?
Kroenke CBT:
1. exposure and response prevention
2. reinforcement strategies to increase functioning
3. relaxation training
4. cognitive restructuring
Controlled treatment study where patients coached to seek less treatment