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Somatic Symptom Disorders

Module 69

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What is a Somatic Symptom/Somatoform Disorder?

  • Persistent, recurring complaints of bodily symptoms that have NO physical or medical basis.

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Types of Somatic Symptom Disorders

  • Body Dysmorphic Disorder – Exaggerated concern and preoccupation about minor or imagined defects in appearance.
    • See CNN video on new biological evidence – 2 min.
    • See the Many Faces of Michael Jackson (40 sec.)

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  • Illness Anxiety Disorder (Hypochondriasis) – Preoccupation with imagined diseases based on the person’s misinterpretation of bodily symptoms or functions.
    • The person does suffer and believes they are sick but it is all in their head.
    • A stomach cramp is interpreted to be stomach ulcer or cancer

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Types of Somatic Symptom Disorders

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  • Conversion Disorder – Converting a psychological factor (commonly anxiety) into an actual loss of physical function.
    • Can result in sudden blindness, laryngitis, or even paralysis.

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Types of Somatic Symptom Disorders

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Conversion Disorder Glove Anesthesia�(Inability to Feel Your Hand)

A conversion disorder Glove anesthesia-—the experience of no sensation in the hand but continued sensation in all other parts of the arm, as shown in (a)-—cannot result from nerve damage, because no nerves innervate the hand without innervating part of the arm. The actual areas of sensory loss that would occur if specific nerves were damaged are shown in (b). Thus, whenever glove anesthesia occurs, it is most likely a conversion disorder.

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