Somatoform Disorders Flashcards
What are the DSM-IV recognized somatoform disorders?
- Somatization Disorder
- Hypochrondriasis
- Pain Disorder
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Conversion Disorder
What are the DSM-V recognized somatoform disorders?
- Somatic Symptom Disorder
- Illness Anxiety Disorder
- Conversion Disorder (Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder)
- Psychological Factors affecting other medical conditions
- Factitious Disorder
A. Reduction in the number of diagnoses and sub-diagnoses
B. Focus on positive symptoms
C. Removal of medically unexplained symptoms
Why so many changes between DSM-IV and V?
- Overlapping previous diagnoses
- Difficult for non-psychiatric physicians to apply
- Reduction of stigma
- Potential for mid-body dualism
- Implications that symptoms were not “real”
What is somatic symptom disorder?
- New diagnosis
- Will absorb many former somatization disorder and hypochondriasis
- Presence of symptoms, medically explained or not
- With predominant pain (formerly pain disorder)
- Health concerns as a central role in an individual’s life
Why are somatic symptoms disorders challenging to treat?
- Chronic, difficult to treat
2. High utilizers of the medical systems
What are the risks of somatic symptoms disorders?
- Repetitive, unnecessary diagnostic testing
- Invasive medical / surgical workups
- Medically induced illness
What is the epidemiology of somatic symptom disorder?
- 50% of patient presenting to outpatient medical clinics with a physical complaint do not have a medical condition
- Seen more in female population
- Those with fewer year of education
- Higher in minority ethic status and low socioeconomic status
What may be the clinical presentation for somatic symptom disorder?
- Pain symptoms
A. Headache, back pain, dysuria, joint pain, diffuse pain, and extremity pain - GI symptoms
A. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, bloating, gas, and diarrhea - Cardiopulmonary symptoms
A. Chest pain ,dizziness, SOB, and palpitations - Neurological symptoms
A. Fainting, pseudoseizures, amnesia, muscle weakness, dysphagia, double or blurred vision, difficulty walking, difficulty urinating, deafness, and hoarseness or aphonia - Reproductive organ symptoms
A. Dyspareunia, dysmenorrhea, and burning in sex organs
What coexisting psych disorder are present w/ somatic symptom disorder?
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Personality disorders
A. Avoidance
B. Paranoia
C. Self-defeating
D. Obsessive-compulsive
What is the goal of therapy for somatic symptom disorder?
Goals of therapy is to relieve symptoms rather than eliminate them
What is the treatment for somatic symptom disorder?
- Psychotherapy & pharmacotherapy jointly
A. CBT, family therapy, psychoeducation, supportive therapy, stress management, and psychodynamic psychotherapy
-Individual or group therapy
B. Pharmacotherapy is mainly to treat depression or anxiety that is seen with these patients
C. Many times the Somatic Symptom Disorder resolves when the co-morbid disorder is treated
What are the general principles for somatic symptom disorder?
Schedule regular visits
Establish a collaborative, therapeutic alliance with the patient
Acknowledge and legitimize symptoms
Communicate with other clinicians
Evaluate for and treat diagnosable medical disease
Limit diagnostic testing and referral to specialists
Reassure that grave medical diseases have been ruled out
Assess and treat the patient for psychiatric disorders
Education patient about coping with physical symptoms
Explicitly set the goal of treatment as functional improvement
Evaluate and treat substance abuse and/or addiction
What are the DSM-V criteria for Illness Anxiety Disorder?
- Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness
- Somatic symptoms are not present or, if present, are only mild in intensity.
- There is a high level of anxiety about health, and the individual is easily alarmed about personal health status
- The individual performs excessive health-related behaviors or exhibits maladaptive avoidance
- Illness preoccupation has been present for at least 6 months, but the specific illness that is feared may change over that period of time
- The illness-related pre-ocupation is not better explained by another mental disorder, such as somatic symptom disorder, painc disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, OCD, or delusional disorder
- Specify whether:
A. Care-seeking type: medical care, including physician visits or undergoing tests and procedure, is frequently used
B. Care-avoidant type: medical care is rarely used
What are the epidemiological facts about illness anxiety disorder?
- Similar to hypochondriasis
- Onset in early adulthood
- Rarely begins after age 50
- Seen in both sexes equally
What is the clinical presentation for illness anxiety disorder?
1. Particular bodily function A. Bowel movements 2. Normal variation in function A. Heart rate or blood pressure 3. Vague somatic sensation A. “tired heart” 4. Minor symptoms A. Cough, small sore, or headache 5. Diagnosis A. Cancer or AIDS