Transcript Somatoform & Dissociative Disorders

Somatoform Disorders
Outline
 Somatoform
 Somatization
 Pain
Disorders
Disorder
Disorder
 Hypochondriasis
 Conversion Disorder
 Body Dysmorphic Disorder
Somatoform Disorders
 Bodily
symptoms that suggest
a physical defect or dysfunction
BUT no physiological basis can be
found
 Emotions  Physical Symptoms

 Different
from
Malingering
 Factitious Disorder

Somatization Disorder
Causes & Treatment

Contributors

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
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Behavior rewarded
Excessive illness growing up
Association with Antisocial Personality
Disorder
Runs in families
Treatment



Focus on stress
Reduce help-seeking behavior
Eliminate reinforcers
Pain Disorder


Predominant complain is pain and
psychological factors have an
important role in the onset, severity,
exacerbation, or maintenance of the
pain
Types

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
Acute
Chronic
Causes


Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Hypochondriasis
Causes & Treatment
Conversion Disorder
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
Freud
Motor or sensory
symptoms suggesting a
neurological impairment
when there is none
Conversion refers to
unconscious conflicts
being converted into
physical symptoms

Discharging anxiety without
experiencing it
Causes & Treatment

Contributors

Triggered by a stressful
/ traumatic event
 Primary
Gain

Treatment
Need to address initial
stressful event
 Remove reinforcers

Glove Anesthesia
& Secondary
Body Dysmorphic Disorder

70
60
50
%
40
30

20

10
Penis
Breasts
Stomach
Eyes
Skin
Nose
Hair
0
Dysfunctional
preoccupation
about imagined
physical defects


Ideas of reference
Successive changes
& surgeries
With insight
Without insight

Delusional Disorder
Causes & Treatment

Contributors
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
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Societal beauty images
High comorbidity with
OCD
Treatment

Drugs

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Same ones for OCD
Behavioral Therapy

Exposure and Response
Prevention

Same therapy as for OCD
General Considerations

Psychodynamic
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Neurosis
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Primary gain
Secondary gain
Cognitive
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Sick role
Modeling
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Stress & Trauma
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High incidences
of child abuse
History of illness
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Faulty
interpretations
Biological
Behavioural
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
History of illness
Sensitivity to
bodily sensations
Cultural Factors

More prevalent in
cultures that
stigmatize mental
disorders
Summary of Somatoform and
Dissociative Disorders (cont.)
Figure 6.x1 (cont.)
Exploring somatoform disorders