A group of disorders with symptoms suggesting physical disorders but without demonstrable organic findings to explain the symptoms. there is positive evidence, or a strong presumption, that the symptoms are linked to psychological factors or conflicts. In dsm-iv-tr, this diagnostic category includes body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), conversion disorder, hypochondriasis, pain disorder, somatization disorder, undifferentiated somatoform disorder, and somatoform disorder not otherwise specified.
Disorders in which physical symptoms suggest a physiological cause but which present no evidence of same; therefore, they are believed to be psychologically based, somatization disorder; conversion disorder; psychogenic pain disorder; hypochondriasis.
A group of closely related mental illnesses characterized by distressing physical symptoms that lack a physical cause and arise instead from emotional conflict or anxiety. Examples include hypochondriasis (an excessive concern with the possible symptoms and signs of illness), body dysmorphic disorder (a disabling preoccupation with an imagined or exaggerated physical defect), pain disorder (frequent, persistent complaints about pain lacking a physical cause), somatization disorder (frequent, persistent complaints about symptoms with no physical cause), and conversion disorder (symptoms affecting voluntary motor or sensory neurologic function).
A psychological disorder in which the physical symptoms suggest a general medical condition and are not explained by another condition such as a medication or another mental disorder. The symptoms must be clinically significant enough to impair function. A variety of conditions are included in this classification, including somatization disorder, conversion disorder, pain disorder, and hypochondriasis. Psychological factors are associated with and precede the condition. Symptoms may include loss of sense of touch, double vision, blindness, deafness, paralysis, and hallucinations. Individuals with conversion symptoms show “la belle indifference” or a relative lack of concern for their symptoms. The symptoms are not intentionally produced or feigned. The diagnosis cannot be established if the condition can be explained by the effects of medication or a neurological or other general medical condition.
A mental disorder in which a person complains of physical symptoms for which no underlying physical cause can be found.
A category of psychiatric disorder known as somatic symptom disorder is defined by the presence of physical complaints that resemble medical conditions, yet cannot be fully explained by a physical disease, substance abuse, or another mental disorder. Individuals with somatic symptom disorder experience persistent physical symptoms that cause distress and impairment in daily life, but these symptoms do not align with the physiological explanations typically associated with the severity and duration of the symptoms. The disorder involves a complex interplay of psychological and physical factors, requiring a comprehensive approach that combines therapeutic interventions targeting both the physical and psychological aspects of the condition.