PY 105 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Somatic Symptom Disorder, Somatization Disorder, Hypochondriasis
Somatoform disorders are characterized by real physical symptoms that
cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, the effects of a drug, or
another mental disorder. People with somatoform disorders do not fake
symptoms or produce symptoms intentionally.
Three common somatoform disorders are somatization disorder, conversion
disorder, and hypochondriasis.
Somatization Disorder
Somatization disorder was formerly called hysteria or Briquet’s syndrome.
People with somatization disorder experience a wide variety of physical
symptoms, such as pain and gastrointestinal, sexual, and pseudoneurological
problems. The disorder usually affects women, begins before age thirty, and
continues for many years.
Conversion Disorder
Conversion disorder is characterized by symptoms that affect voluntary
motor functioning or sensory functioning. These symptoms cannot be
explained medically. A conflict or other stressor precedes the onset or
exacerbation of these symptoms, which implies a relationship between the
symptoms and psychological factors.
Example: After being sexually assaulted, a young girl loses the ability to
speak. Her inability to speak has no medical explanation.
Hypochondriasis
People with hypochondriasis are preoccupied with fears that they have a
serious disease. They base these fears on misinterpretations of physical
symptoms. People with this disorder continue to worry about having a serious
medical problem even after they receive reassurances to the contrary. People
with hypochondriasis, however, are not delusional—they can acknowledge
that their worries might be excessive.
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Document Summary
Somatoform disorders are characterized by real physical symptoms that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, the effects of a drug, or another mental disorder. People with somatoform disorders do not fake symptoms or produce symptoms intentionally. Three common somatoform disorders are somatization disorder, conversion disorder, and hypochondriasis. Somatization disorder was formerly called hysteria or briquet"s syndrome. People with somatization disorder experience a wide variety of physical symptoms, such as pain and gastrointestinal, sexual, and pseudoneurological problems. The disorder usually affects women, begins before age thirty, and continues for many years. Conversion disorder is characterized by symptoms that affect voluntary motor functioning or sensory functioning. A conflict or other stressor precedes the onset or exacerbation of these symptoms, which implies a relationship between the symptoms and psychological factors. Example: after being sexually assaulted, a young girl loses the ability to speak. Her inability to speak has no medical explanation.
