# Somatic Disorders
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body problems caused by mind disorders. the body doctors can't find the source of the problems so they toss them over to the mind doctors. where do we place the locus of the problem. Two problems: just because we can't find the cause doesn't mean there isn't one. and two, the mind/body distinction is a false dichotomy. It's all connected
The first three the symptoms are real, the distress is real.
somatic symptom disorder
illness anxiety disorder
used to be called a hypochondriac
they have these symptoms, they're just disproportionately anxious about it
Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness
Somatic symptoms are real, but mild or typical bodily sensations.
• If another medical illness is present, preoccupation is higher than expected
• High anxiety related to health
Excessive health-related behaviors —internet, may have lots of visits or avoid Illness preoccupation > 6 months
• Preoccupation may change/shift over time
Care seeking type
Care avoidant type
conversion disorder (**functional neurological disorder**)
neurological symptoms with no medical cause
also understand this is a false distinction, the mind and the body are inextricably connected.
"Havana syndrome"
blindness or paralysis
the most common you'll see are "**pseudo-seizures**" or "non-epileptic convulsive event"
someone looks like they're having seizure, but we don't think they are
sometimes people will just choose to lay on the floor and shake, that happens. some people are not actively faking it, these are the people experiencing a non-epileptic convulsive event.
factitious disorder
This one, they are lying.
we used to call this munchousen syndrome
sometimes they are doing with this for no gain, but if there is a gain we call this "malingering" which is different from factitious disorder.
factitious disorder imposed on another
functional neurological disorder
## Somatic Symptom Disorders
Somatic symptom disorder is a syndrome of multiple
somatic symptoms that cannot be explained med-
ically and are associated with psychosocial distress and
frequent visits to health-care professionals to seekassistance. Symptoms may be vague, dramatized, or
exaggerated in presentation, and an excessive amount
of time and energy is devoted to worry and concern
about the s
toms. Individuals with somatic s m -
`quote`
Somatic symptom disorder (SSD), also known as somatization disorder, is a mental health condition characterized by an excessive focus on physical symptoms. People with SSD often experience multiple physical symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, shortness of breath, or digestive problems. These symptoms may be real, but they are often exaggerated or out of proportion to the underlying medical condition.
People with SSD may also have difficulty accepting medical explanations for their symptoms. They may be convinced that they have a serious medical condition, even when doctors have ruled out all possible physical causes for their symptoms.
SSD can have a significant impact on a person's life. It can lead to social isolation, difficulty working, and financial problems. It can also lead to unnecessary medical tests and procedures.
`end quote`
cation. There are similarities in these two disorders, but
in somatic symptom disorder, the primary symptom is
significant somatic sensations, whereas in illness anxi-
ety disorder, there are few to no somatic symptoms but
anxiety or fear about having or acquiring an illness is a
Factitious disorder imposed on another is most often
perpetrated by mothers against infants but accounts
for less than 0.04 percent of reported cases of child
abuse in the United States (Sadock et al., 2015). (re:munchoussen)
## Treatment
Treatment for somatic symptom disorder consists of
## Nursing Considerations
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