SOMATOFORM DISORDERS
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SOMATOFORM DISORDERS
Group of disorders that includes
physical symptoms for which an
adequate medical explanation cannot
be found
Psychological factors --> symptom’s
onset, severity, duration
Not malingering or factitious disorder
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
5 Specific somatoform disorders:
Somatization DO
Conversion DO
Hypochondriasis
Body Dysmorphic DO
Pain DO
SOMATIZATION DISORDER
Hysteria, Briquet’s Syndrome
Many somatic symptoms
Multiple complaints and organ systems
affected
Chronic
Epidemiology
Lifetime prevalence = 0.1-0.2%
F > M (5-20X) = 5:1
Etiology
1.
2.
Psychosocial factors - social
communication
Biological factors - attention and
cognitive impairments
Diagnosis
Onset before the age of 30 years
Complain of at least 4 pain sxs, 2 GI
sxs, 1 sexual sx, 1 pseudoneurological
sx
No physical or laboratory explanation
Clinical Features
Many somatic complaints; long
complicated medical history
Psychological distress: anxiety,
depression
Common suicidal threats
Medical history is circumstantial, vague,
imprecise, inconsistent, disorganized
Patients are dependent, self-centered,
hungry for admiration or praise
Common associated mental DO - MDD,
PD, SRD, GAD, phobias
Differential Diagnosis
1.
2.
3.
Non-psychiatric medical condition
Mental DO - MDD, GAD,
schizophrenia
Other somatization DO
Course and Prognosis
Chronic, debilitating
Onset before age 30 years
Treatment
Single identified MD
Visits: regular, avoid additional
lab/diagnostic procedures
Somatic symptoms - emotional
expressions
Psychotherapy: individual, group
CONVERSION DISORDER
One or more neurological symptoms
(paralysis, blindness, paresthesias)
Psychological factors --> onset,
exacerbation
Epidemiology
F:M = 2:1 - 5:1
Onset is any age (common during
adolescence and young adults)
Rural population, little educated, low IQ,
low SE group, military personel
Comorbid with MDD, anxiety,
schizophrenia
Etiology
1.
1.
Psychoanalytic - repression of
unconscious conflict/anxiety -->
physical sx
Nonverbal means of controlling and
manipulating
Biological factors - hypomentabolism
of dominant hemisphere
impaired hemispheric
communication
Diagnosis
Symptoms or deficits affecting
neurological functions
Psychological factors --> onset,
exacerbations
Not intentionally feigned or produced
Clinical Features
Most common symptoms: paralysis,
blindness, mutism
Most commonly associated with
passive-aggressive, dependent,
antisocial and histrionic PDs
1.
Sensory Sxs: anesthesia and paresthesia,
esp extremities
distribution usually inconsistent with
central or peripheral neuro dse
characteristic stocking and glove
anesthesia or hemianesthesia (along the
midline)
organs of special senses - deafness,
blindness, tunnel vision --> N neuro exam
2. Motor Sxs: abnormal movements, gait
disturbance, weakness, paralysis
generally worsen by attention
3. Seizure Sxs: pseudoseizure
4. Mixed presentation
Other associated features:
Primary
gain: represent an unconscious
psychological conflict
Secondary gain: accrue tangible
advantages & benefits
Le belle indifference: unconcerned about
what appears to be a major impairment
Identification: unconsciously model their
sxs on those someone important to them
Differential Diagnosis
1.
2.
Rule out medical disorder: thorough medical
and neuro work-up
25-50% diagnosed with conversion DO -->
neuro or non-psychiatric medical DO
Neuro DO - dementia, brain tumors,
degenerative dse, basal ganglia dse
Psychiatric DO - schiz, deprssive DO, other
somatoform, malingering, factitious DO
Course and Prognosis
90-100% resolve in few days to less
than a month
Good prognosis: sudden onset, easily
identifiable stressor, good premorbid
adjustment, no comorbid psychiatric or
medical DO
25-50% --> neuro or non-psychiatric DO
Treatment
Spontaneously resolve
Insight-oriented supportive or behavioral
therapy
HYPOCHONDRIASIS
Unrealistic or inaccurate interpretations
of physical symptoms or sensations -->
preoccupation and fear that they have
serious disease
Significant distress; impaired function
Epidemiology
F=M
Onset at any age
Etiology
1.
2.
3.
4.
Misinterpretation of bodily symptoms
Social learning model
Variant form of other mental disorder depression and anxiety DO (80%)
Aggressive and hostile wishes
Diagnosis
Preoccupied with false belief based
misinterpretation of physical s/sxs
At least 6 months
Not a delusion or restricted to distress
of appearance
Clinical Features
Believe that they have a serious
disease not yet detected
Conviction persist despite negative lab
results, benign course, reassurances
Usually with depression and anxiety
Differential Diagnosis
1.
2.
3.
Non-psychiatric medical condition
Other somatoform disorders
MDD, anxiety DO, schiz, other
psychotic DO
Course and Prognosis
Episodic, months to years
Good prognosis: high SE class,
treatment-responsive anxiety or
depression, sudden onset, (-) PD, (-)
related non-psychiatric medical
condition
Treatment
Usually resistant to psychiatric
treatment
Focus
on stress reduction and education in
coping with chronic illness
Group psychotherapy
Regular scheduled PE
BODY DYSMORPHIC DO
Preoccupation with an imagined bodily
defect or an exaggerated distortion of a
minimal or minor defect
Causes significant distress; impaired
function
Epidemiology
Rare; poorly studied
Most common age of onset: 15-30 yo
F > M, unmarried
Commonly coexists with other mental
DO (MDD, anxiety, psychotic DOs)
Etiology
Serotonin
Cultural and social effects
Psychodynamic models
Diagnosis
Preoccupied with an imagined defect in
appearance or an overemphasis of a
slight defect
Significant emotional distress; impaired
functioning
Clinical Features
Most common concerns: facial flaws
Common associated symptoms: ideas
of reference, attempts to hide deformity,
excessive mirror checking or avoidance
Avoid social or occupational exposure
Housebound; attempt suicide
Traits: O-C, schizoid, narcissistic PD
Comorbid: depression, anxiety DO
Differential Diagnosis
Anorexia nervosa, gender identity DO,
brain damage
Delusional DO, somatic type
Narcissistic PD, depressive DO, OCD,
schizophrenia
Course and Prognosis
Gradual onset
Usually chronic
Treatment
Serotonin-specific drugs - clomipramine,
fluoxetine
Treat coexisting mental DO
PAIN DISORDER
Psychogenic pain DO
Pain in one or more sites --> no nonpsychiatric medical or neurological
condition
Emotional distress; functional
impairment
Epidemiology
F>M
Peak onset on 4th to 5th decades
Blue-collar occupation, 1st degree
relatives
Etiology
1.
Psychodynamic: expression of
intrapsychic conflict
defense mechanism-displacement,
substitution, repression
2.
3.
4.
Behavioral: reinforced with reward and
inhibited when ignored/punished
Interpersonal: manipulation and
gaining advantages
Biological: 5HT and endorphins
Diagnosis
Significant complaints of pain
Emotional distress and functional
impairment
Clinical Features
Collection of different histories of various
pains
Pain maybe post-traumatic, neuropathic,
neurological, iatrogenic, musculoskeletal
(+) psychological factor
Long history of medical and surgical care,
visits many MDs, requests many meds
Complicated by SRD
MDD: 25-50% of patients
Dysthymic or depressive DO sxs - 60-100%
Differential Diagnosis
1.
Physical pain VS Psychogenic pain
Physical Pain: fluctuates in intensity,
highly sensitive to emotional, cognitive,
attentional and situational influence
2. Psychogenic Pain: does not vary,
insensitive to any of above factors, does
not wax or wane, not temporarily relieved
by distraction
1.
2.
Other somatoform DO
Course and Prognosis
Abrupt onset and increases in severity
Treatment
Address rehabilitation
PAIN IS REAL
Pharmacotherapy
- antidepressant
Behavioral therapy
Psychotherapy
Pain control program
UNDIFFERENTIATED
SOMATOFORM DO
One or more physical complaints that
can’t be explained by known medical
condition
Doesn’t meet the diagnostic criteria for
any somatoform DO
At least 6 months
Significant emotional distress and
impaired functioning
2 types of somatoform pattern:
Involving ANS: CV, GI, urogenital, derma
sxs
2. Involving sensations of fatigue or
weakness (neurasthenia): mental or
physical fatigue, physical weakness and
exhaustion
1.