Unexplained symptoms

Question 1

Somatisation disorder

Answer 1

multiple physical SYMPTOMS present for at least 2 years

patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results

Question 2

Illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis)

Answer 2

persistent belief in the presence of an underlying serious DISEASE, e.g. cancer

patient again refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results

Question 3

Conversion disorder

Answer 3

typically involves loss of motor or sensory function

the patient doesn’t consciously feign the symptoms (factitious disorder) or seek material gain (malingering)

patients may be indifferent to their apparent disorder - la belle indifference - although this has not been backed up by some studies

Question 4

Dissociative disorder

Answer 4

dissociation is a process of ‘separating off’ certain memories from normal consciousness

in contrast to conversion disorder involves psychiatric symptoms e.g. Amnesia, fugue, stupor

dissociative identity disorder (DID) is the new term for multiple personality disorder as is the most severe form of dissociative disorder

Question 5

Factitious disorder

Answer 5

also known as Munchausen’s syndrome

the intentional production of physical or psychological symptoms

Question 6

Malingering

Answer 6

fraudulent simulation or exaggeration of symptoms with the intention of financial or other gain

Question 7

Munchausen’s syndrome

Answer 7

Purposelly causing symptoms without being suicidal