KHA 305 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Major Depressive Disorder, Dissociative Identity Disorder, Psychogenic Amnesia
30 Jun 2018
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Clinical Psychology week 9: Somatic symptoms and related disorders
Somatic symptom disorders are characterised by the prominence of somatic
symptoms that are associated with distress and impairment
- Somatic: pertaining to bodily sensations
oInternal and external
- DSM criterion:
oDistress is disproportionate and thoughts are persistent
oA lot of time and energy devoted to getting to the bottom of the
symptoms
oSymptom is not necessarily present at the time of the distress
oThe symptom is not what is the most important
oEXCESSIVE THOUGHTS, FEELING, BEHAVIOURS RELATED
TO THE SOMATIC SYMPTOMS
oMedically un-diagnosed pain:
Inflames when stressed
Depressed mood as a result
- New to DSM-5:
oBecause of this not much is known about the disorder
oHigh rates of comorbidity with:
Medical disorders
And anxiety and depressive disorders
- The symptoms are very much real
- Treatment:
oHelp reduce the symptoms while also reduce the extended unhelpful
thinking, and behaviours
oRelaxation techniques
oExcessive worries:
Restricting the amount of time for worrying for example
oMore research is needed for CBT
Illness anxiety disorder: previously known as hypochondriasis
- Referred to as healthy anxiety in the literature
- Preoccupation with having medical illness despite no symptoms
oSure you have something wrong
- Similar presentations to other disorders
oOCD and body dysmorphic disorders
oCauses anxiety to increase
oChecking behaviours that cause the anxiety to reduce
oEg. Checking blood in urine, skin, or always going to the doctor
oIllness discussed in media
- Prevalence rates are unknown, equal among genders
- Criterion:
oPreoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness
oNo somatic symptoms present
If they are present they are very mild
Or disproportional to the symptom
oEasily alarmed about personal health issues
oHealth-related behaviours: Health checking behaviours
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find more resources at oneclass.com
oHigh anxiety
oMight avoid going to the doctor because they dread getting the actual
diagnosis
oPresent for at least 6 months
oNot better explained by another disorder or medical condition
- Treatment:
oA good GP who communicates well with the client who constantly
visits
oCBT responsive
- Specifiers:
oCare-seeking type: medical care, including physician, tests
oCare-avoidant type: rarely seek medical help
Conversion disorder: functional neurological symptom disorder
- Criterion:
oOne or more symptoms of altered voluntary motor or sensory function
Changes in sensations (cannot see), or motor (cant move legs)
No neurological or medical condition that explains it
oClinical findings provide evidence of incompatibility between the
symptom and recognized neurological or medical conditions
oThe symptom or deficits is not better explained by another medical or
mental disorder
oThe symptom or deficit causes clinically significant distress or
impairment or warrants medical evaluation
- Onset in adolescence or early adulthood
oOften follows life stress
- 1% prevalence rate
oMore common in women
oPrevalence rates are decreasing
Very big in the 19th century
Might be because of bad treating for PTSD after world wars
oGreater prevalence in: rural areas, lower SES, non-western cultures
oLess resources to manage stress, distress, PTSD
- often co-morbid with:
osomatic symptom disorders
omajor depressive disorder
oSubstance use disorder
but is not caused by this
cause and causation not clear: might use substances to cope
with it
- Symptom Specifiers:
oWeakness or paralysis
oAbnormal movement
oSwallowing symptoms
Worse than just an anxious lump in the throat
Prevents from eating or drinking
oSpeech symptoms
Stuttering with no history of doing so
oAttacks or seizures
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Clinical psychology week 9: somatic symptoms and related disorders. Somatic symptom disorders are characterised by the prominence of somatic symptoms that are associated with distress and impairment. Somatic: pertaining to bodily sensations: internal and external. To the somatic symptoms: medically un-diagnosed pain: New to dsm-5: because of this not much is known about the disorder, high rates of comorbidity with: Treatment: help reduce the symptoms while also reduce the extended unhelpful thinking, and behaviours, relaxation techniques, excessive worries: Restricting the amount of time for worrying for example: more research is needed for cbt. Referred to as healthy anxiety in the literature. Preoccupation with having medical illness despite no symptoms: sure you have something wrong. Similar presentations to other disorders: ocd and body dysmorphic disorders, causes anxiety to increase, checking behaviours that cause the anxiety to reduce, eg. Checking blood in urine, skin, or always going to the doctor: illness discussed in media.
