Psychology 2030A/B Lecture Notes - Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Somatic Symptom Disorder, Factitious Disorder

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2030A/B
• Professor: David Vollick

Document Summary

Soma: meaning body: overly preoccupied with their health or body appearance (we are all preoccupied by appearance but no overly, no identifiable medical condition causing the physical complaints, the symptom. Hypochondriasis: fear of having a serious disease based of misinterpretation of bodily signs. Problem is anxiety (you are going to die!! Hypochondriasis versus panic disorder: not the same things: similarities: Both focus on bodily symptoms: differences: Wider range of symptoms (muscles, nerves, intestinal problems) Physical complaints without a clear cause: severe anxiety focused on the possibility of having a serious long-term disease versus panic disorder (having a chest pain without no reason, strong disease conviction, medical reassurance does not seem to help. Facts and statistics: god prevalence data lacking: seem appears at any age. It"s culture specific: the idea of physical disorder depends of the culture! Causes: cognitive perceptual distortions (horrible pain, since they suffer they grab the pain and fix on it)