Somatic symptom disorder

Overview

Somatic symptom disorder involves focusing too much on physical symptoms such as pain or tiredness. This focus causes major emotional distress and makes it hard to function. You may or may not have another medical condition that causes these symptoms. But how you think, feel and behave because of the symptoms can be extreme.

You might often think the worst about your symptoms. You may seek medical care often, searching for a reason for the symptoms, even when other serious conditions have been ruled out. You also might spend so much time and energy focusing on your symptoms that it's hard to function, sometimes leading to more challenges in your life.

If you have somatic symptom disorder, you may have a lot of emotional and physical distress. Treatment can help ease symptoms, help you cope and make your quality of life better.

Symptoms

Symptoms of somatic symptom disorder may include:

• Specific symptoms, such as pain or shortness of breath.
• General symptoms, such as feeling very tired or weak.
• Symptoms not related to any medical cause.
• Symptoms related to a medical condition but that are more severe than usually expected.
• One symptom, many symptoms or symptoms that change over time.
• Mild, moderate or severe symptoms.

Pain is the most common symptom. But whatever your symptoms, you have constant stressful thoughts, feelings and behaviors related to those symptoms. This can make it hard to live your daily life and sometimes can be disabling.

For somatic symptom disorder, the way you think about and react to symptoms and how they affect your daily life are more important than which physical symptoms you have.

People with somatic symptom disorder often:

• Constantly worry about possible illness or how much the symptoms affect them.
• View usual physical sensations as a sign of severe illness.
• Fear that symptoms are serious even when illness has been ruled out.
• Think that physical sensations are threatening or harmful.
• Believe that they need more medical evaluation and treatment, but healthcare visits and treatments don't lessen their concerns.
• Fear that physical activity may cause damage to their bodies.
• Constantly check their bodies for issues.
• Limit or stay away from activities due to the stress of symptoms.
• Talk about having more-severe disability than expected from a medical condition.

When to see a doctor

Because physical symptoms can be related to a medical condition, it's important to have a healthcare professional look at you.

After a medical exam, if your healthcare professional believes that you may have somatic symptom disorder, you can talk about a referral to a mental health professional who can work with you and your healthcare team. A mental health professional can help you understand your condition and learn how to lessen your symptoms to make your quality of life better.

When it's a loved one

If a loved one has somatic symptom disorder, it can be hard to accept that a serious illness isn't the cause and that the person can still function in life despite the symptoms. Encourage the person to follow through on a mental health referral. Think about going along so you both can learn tips and strategies to help ease symptoms.

Causes

The exact cause of somatic symptom disorder isn't clear, but factors may include:

• Genetics and biology, which may cause higher sensitivity to pain, for example.
• Family influence, both genetic and environmental.
• Personality traits, such as negativity.
• Having a hard time processing emotions or feelings, leading to a focus on physical symptoms.
• Learned behavior, such as gaining attention from illness or avoiding activities due to pain, which can worsen the level of disability.

Risk factors

Risk factors for somatic symptom disorder include having:

• Anxiety or depression.
• A medical condition or recovering from one.
• The risk of developing a medical condition, such as having a strong family history of an illness.
• Stressful life events, trauma or violence.
• Past trauma, such as sexual abuse or childhood trauma.

Complications

Somatic symptom disorder can be linked with:

• Poor health.
• Trouble functioning in daily life, including having physical disability.
• Trouble in relationships.
• Work troubles or unemployment.
• Other mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression.
• Increased suicide risk related to depression.
• Money concerns due to a lot of healthcare visits.

Prevention

Little is known about how to prevent somatic symptom disorder. But these suggestions may help.

• Get professional help for anxiety or depression that can happen due to somatic symptom disorder.
• Learn how to identify stress and how it affects your body.
• Practice stress management and relaxation techniques.
• Choose healthy routines, such as healthy sleep habits, regular physical activity and social activities.
• Get treatment early if you think you have somatic symptom disorder.
• Follow your treatment plan to help keep symptoms from getting worse or coming back.