Transcript Somatoform Disorders

Somatoform Disorders
What is a Somatoform Disorder?
• Expressing psychological stress through
physical symptoms.
• Persistent, recurring complaints of bodily
symptoms that have NO physical or medical
basis.
• This is NOT done intentionally.
Types of Somatoform 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.)
• Hypochondriasis – Unrealistic preoccupation with the fear
that he or she has a serious disease.
– Minor physical symptoms are misinterpreted to be major diseases.
– The person does suffer and believes they are sick but it is all in
their head.
• Conversion Disorder – Converting a psychological factor
(commonly anxiety) into an actual loss of physical function.
– Can result in sudden blindness, laryngitis, or even paralysis.
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.
Causes of Somatoform Disorders
• Psychoanalytic – person represses emotions
associated with forbidden urges and express them
through physical symptoms.
– Compromise between the unconsciousness’ need to
express feelings and the fear of actually expressing
them.
• Behavioral/Learning theorists – physical symptom
allows an escape from mental stress – negative
reinforcement
• Biological – Genetics plays a role.