Understanding Somatic Symptom Disorder

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat is Somatic Symptom Disorder?SymptomsDiagnosisCausesRelated DisordersComplicationsTreatmentCopingTakeaways

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What is Somatic Symptom Disorder?

Symptoms

Diagnosis

Causes

Related Disorders

Complications

Treatment

Coping

Takeaways

Close

Have you ever fallen down a research spiral where you read the direst predictions about relatively minor physical complaints? You know, those times you type “stomach ache” into the search bar, and then next thing you know, you’ve self-diagnosed yourself with several potentially fatal ailments? Imagine experiencing that all the time, where every twinge, headache, or physical complaint sends your brain into panic mode. Somatic symptom disorder causes the physical signals a person’s body is experiencing to seem a lot louder than they really are.

It’s normal to be a little concerned when you’re feeling off or if you are having symptoms you can’t explain. People with SSD have a much more extreme focus on bodily sensations—such as tiredness, aches, and pains—that create serious distress and affect their ability to function.

That doesn’t mean they’re faking it. It just means their minds are so focused on health concerns that it sometimes makes even minor issues more serious than they really are.

At a GlanceIf minor or even normal bodily functions send you into a panic, it might be related to somatic symptom disorder. Common problems people often experience include pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and digestive problems. Because you’re so worried about these symptoms, you may find it hard to function in your daily life and seek healthcare checks that don’t suggest any medical causes. Why this happens isn’t entirely clear, but it may be linked to factors like trauma, childhood illness, and other mental health conditions. Fortunately, research has found that getting treatment can improve symptoms and make it easier to focus less on physical complaints.

At a Glance

If minor or even normal bodily functions send you into a panic, it might be related to somatic symptom disorder. Common problems people often experience include pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, and digestive problems. Because you’re so worried about these symptoms, you may find it hard to function in your daily life and seek healthcare checks that don’t suggest any medical causes. Why this happens isn’t entirely clear, but it may be linked to factors like trauma, childhood illness, and other mental health conditions. Fortunately, research has found that getting treatment can improve symptoms and make it easier to focus less on physical complaints.

Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a condition that causes a person to manifest physical symptoms that can’t be linked to any medical conditions. These symptoms often cause severe distress to a person who has the disorder.

A person with this condition often experiences excessive concerns about their health and might exhibit odd or unusual behaviors in response to these concerns.

People with SSD will feel overly concerned about any physical symptoms they exhibit and falsely connect them to signs of a more severe illness. They’ll also feel a lot ofanxietyabout symptoms they have. In cases where a medical condition can be linked to a person with SSD’s symptoms, their fears might be overstated. This condition can develop at any age.

Research shows that about 7.7% of the worldwide general population have somatic symptom disorder.It also appears to be a lot more prevalent among women than men. About 20% to 25% of people who present with acute somatic symptoms go on to develop chronic somatic symptom disorder.

Gender Bias

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Symptoms of Somatic Symptom Disorders

The symptoms a person with somatic symptom disorder experiences typically varies from person to person. Symptoms range in severity, and people with this condition usually experience a range of symptoms. However, some of the most common symptoms of the disorder include:

You’ll often find people with this condition exhibiting specific thoughts and behaviors centered around their physical symptoms and what they perceive might be wrong with them. If you have the condition, you might recognize some of the following sentiments:

Identifying Somatic Symptom Disorders

TheDiagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM 5-TR)provides the following diagnostic criteria for identifying somatic symptoms disorder:

However, diagnosing SSD is difficult because, in most cases, the physical symptoms being exhibited can’t be linked to any medical conditions. Your doctor will typically look into your personal and medical history and ask for a series of lab tests to be conducted.

Suppose your lab results come back with no evidence of a medical condition. In that case, you might be referred to a mental health professional to help make a diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder.

Causes of Somatic Symptom Disorders

There’s no singular cause for SSD, as with many mental health conditions. The disorder, however, has been linked to experiencing childhood abuse and trauma.

One theory on why the condition might affect more women than men is that women are more often exposed to abuse and trauma.

People with anxiety and a low pain threshold are also more susceptible to developing SSD. Certain risk factors make a person more susceptible to developing the condition than others.

They include:

There are other mental health disorders that affect the way people view their health concerns. These disorders are similar but not the same with SSD. These were previously referred to assomatoform disordersin earlier editions of the DSM but are now known as somatic symptoms and related disorders in the DSM-5-TR.

Some of the conditions include:

Complications Related to Somatic Symptoms Disorders

While somatic symptom disorder might not result in physical medical conditions, it can severely affect the quality of your life. If it goes untreated, you can become so consumed with your perceived health problems that it starts to take a toll on your health and the relationships you have with other people.

You also have a higher risk of developing other mental health conditions such asanxiety or depression.

Many people with this condition alsoexpend a lot of financial resourceson trying to treat their perceived problems. A large amount of the money spent is typically unnecessary and could cause financial difficulties.

Treatment for Somatic Symptom Disorders

Treating somatic symptoms disorder can be tricky. This is mainly because people with this condition don’t realize that their anxiety exacerbates their symptoms.

Treatment focuses on helping a person with the disorder cope with the physical symptoms they are experiencing and identifying why they are occurring.

Therapy

Cognitive behavior therapyhas shown to be the most effective form of treatment used in treating SSD. During therapy, your therapist will help you understand why you feel the way you do about your symptoms and teach you ways to cope with the anxiety that results from it.

Medication

Healthcare providers are typically hesitant to use medication to treat somatic symptom disorders. And there’s no specific drug to treat the condition.

While no medication is prescribed specifically to treat SSD in severe cases, your healthcare provider might prescribeantidepressantsto treat co-occurring disorders like anxiety or depression.

Coping With Somatic Symptom Disorders

Somatic symptoms disorder is a condition that can be easily managed with the right treatment plan and coping techniques. Being intentional about your treatment is essential, and the first step to that is acknowledging that you need help.

Making specific lifestyle changes can also significantly increase your quality of life. Research shows that 50% to 75% of people with this condition improve with the proper treatment.

Here are a few changes you could make that could improve your symptoms:

Somatic symptom disorder can cause people to focus too much on physical symptoms, resulting in serious distress and disruptions in their ability to function. It can also lead to high healthcare costs, since people often seek medical assistance that can lead to unnecessary testing and treatment. However, it is important to note that unexplained symptoms are not always related to somatic factors.

If you are experiencing concerning symptoms, talk to your doctor. They can help evaluate the potential causes and help determine if they are related to a health condition or if other factors may be involved. If your symptoms are linked to somatic symptom disorder, your doctor can recommend treatments that can lead to improvements and make it easier for you to cope.

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14 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lehmann M, Pohontsch NJ, Zimmermann T, Scherer M, Löwe B.Estimated frequency of somatic symptom disorder in general practice: cross-sectional survey with general practitioners.BMC Psychiatry. 2022;22(1):632. doi:10.1186/s12888-022-04100-0Kurlansik SL, Maffei MS.Somatic symptom disorder.American Family Physician. 2016;93(1):49-54A.Claréus B, Renström EA.Physicians' gender bias in the diagnostic assessment of medically unexplained symptoms and its effect on patient-physician relations.Scand J Psychol. 2019;60(4):338-347. doi:10.1111/sjop.12545Merone L, Tsey K, Russell D, Nagle C.“I just want to feel safe going to a doctor”: Experiences of female patients with chronic conditions in Australia.Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):1016-1028. doi:10.1089/whr.2022.0052Henningsen P.Management of somatic symptom disorder.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2018;20(1):23-31. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/phenningsenNational Library of Medicine.Somatic symptom disorder.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Eilers H, Aan Het Rot M, Jeronimus BF.Childhood trauma and adult somatic symptoms.Psychosom Med. 2023;85(5):408-416. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000001208McCall-Hosenfeld JS, Winter M, Heeren T, Liebschutz JM.The association of interpersonal trauma with somatic symptom severity in a primary care population with chronic pain: exploring the role of gender and the mental health sequelae of trauma.J Psychosom Res. 2014;77(3):196-204. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.07.011Oyama O, Paltoo C, Greengold J.Somatoform disorders.AFP. 2007;76(9):1333-1338.Saunders NR, Gandhi S, Chen S, et al.Health care use and costs of children, adolescents, and young adults with somatic symptom and related disorders.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e2011295. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11295Orzechowska A, Maruszewska P, Gałecki P.Cognitive behavioral therapy of patients with somatic symptoms-Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.J Clin Med. 2021;10(14):3159. doi:10.3390/jcm10143159Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554

14 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Lehmann M, Pohontsch NJ, Zimmermann T, Scherer M, Löwe B.Estimated frequency of somatic symptom disorder in general practice: cross-sectional survey with general practitioners.BMC Psychiatry. 2022;22(1):632. doi:10.1186/s12888-022-04100-0Kurlansik SL, Maffei MS.Somatic symptom disorder.American Family Physician. 2016;93(1):49-54A.Claréus B, Renström EA.Physicians' gender bias in the diagnostic assessment of medically unexplained symptoms and its effect on patient-physician relations.Scand J Psychol. 2019;60(4):338-347. doi:10.1111/sjop.12545Merone L, Tsey K, Russell D, Nagle C.“I just want to feel safe going to a doctor”: Experiences of female patients with chronic conditions in Australia.Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):1016-1028. doi:10.1089/whr.2022.0052Henningsen P.Management of somatic symptom disorder.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2018;20(1):23-31. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/phenningsenNational Library of Medicine.Somatic symptom disorder.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Eilers H, Aan Het Rot M, Jeronimus BF.Childhood trauma and adult somatic symptoms.Psychosom Med. 2023;85(5):408-416. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000001208McCall-Hosenfeld JS, Winter M, Heeren T, Liebschutz JM.The association of interpersonal trauma with somatic symptom severity in a primary care population with chronic pain: exploring the role of gender and the mental health sequelae of trauma.J Psychosom Res. 2014;77(3):196-204. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.07.011Oyama O, Paltoo C, Greengold J.Somatoform disorders.AFP. 2007;76(9):1333-1338.Saunders NR, Gandhi S, Chen S, et al.Health care use and costs of children, adolescents, and young adults with somatic symptom and related disorders.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e2011295. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11295Orzechowska A, Maruszewska P, Gałecki P.Cognitive behavioral therapy of patients with somatic symptoms-Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.J Clin Med. 2021;10(14):3159. doi:10.3390/jcm10143159Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Lehmann M, Pohontsch NJ, Zimmermann T, Scherer M, Löwe B.Estimated frequency of somatic symptom disorder in general practice: cross-sectional survey with general practitioners.BMC Psychiatry. 2022;22(1):632. doi:10.1186/s12888-022-04100-0Kurlansik SL, Maffei MS.Somatic symptom disorder.American Family Physician. 2016;93(1):49-54A.Claréus B, Renström EA.Physicians' gender bias in the diagnostic assessment of medically unexplained symptoms and its effect on patient-physician relations.Scand J Psychol. 2019;60(4):338-347. doi:10.1111/sjop.12545Merone L, Tsey K, Russell D, Nagle C.“I just want to feel safe going to a doctor”: Experiences of female patients with chronic conditions in Australia.Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):1016-1028. doi:10.1089/whr.2022.0052Henningsen P.Management of somatic symptom disorder.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2018;20(1):23-31. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/phenningsenNational Library of Medicine.Somatic symptom disorder.American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.Eilers H, Aan Het Rot M, Jeronimus BF.Childhood trauma and adult somatic symptoms.Psychosom Med. 2023;85(5):408-416. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000001208McCall-Hosenfeld JS, Winter M, Heeren T, Liebschutz JM.The association of interpersonal trauma with somatic symptom severity in a primary care population with chronic pain: exploring the role of gender and the mental health sequelae of trauma.J Psychosom Res. 2014;77(3):196-204. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.07.011Oyama O, Paltoo C, Greengold J.Somatoform disorders.AFP. 2007;76(9):1333-1338.Saunders NR, Gandhi S, Chen S, et al.Health care use and costs of children, adolescents, and young adults with somatic symptom and related disorders.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e2011295. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11295Orzechowska A, Maruszewska P, Gałecki P.Cognitive behavioral therapy of patients with somatic symptoms-Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.J Clin Med. 2021;10(14):3159. doi:10.3390/jcm10143159Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554

Lehmann M, Pohontsch NJ, Zimmermann T, Scherer M, Löwe B.Estimated frequency of somatic symptom disorder in general practice: cross-sectional survey with general practitioners.BMC Psychiatry. 2022;22(1):632. doi:10.1186/s12888-022-04100-0

Kurlansik SL, Maffei MS.Somatic symptom disorder.American Family Physician. 2016;93(1):49-54A.

Claréus B, Renström EA.Physicians' gender bias in the diagnostic assessment of medically unexplained symptoms and its effect on patient-physician relations.Scand J Psychol. 2019;60(4):338-347. doi:10.1111/sjop.12545

Merone L, Tsey K, Russell D, Nagle C.“I just want to feel safe going to a doctor”: Experiences of female patients with chronic conditions in Australia.Womens Health Rep (New Rochelle). 2022;3(1):1016-1028. doi:10.1089/whr.2022.0052

Henningsen P.Management of somatic symptom disorder.Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2018;20(1):23-31. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2018.20.1/phenningsen

National Library of Medicine.Somatic symptom disorder.

American Psychiatric Association (APA).Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Washington, D.C.; 2022.

Eilers H, Aan Het Rot M, Jeronimus BF.Childhood trauma and adult somatic symptoms.Psychosom Med. 2023;85(5):408-416. doi:10.1097/PSY.0000000000001208

McCall-Hosenfeld JS, Winter M, Heeren T, Liebschutz JM.The association of interpersonal trauma with somatic symptom severity in a primary care population with chronic pain: exploring the role of gender and the mental health sequelae of trauma.J Psychosom Res. 2014;77(3):196-204. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2014.07.011

Oyama O, Paltoo C, Greengold J.Somatoform disorders.AFP. 2007;76(9):1333-1338.

Saunders NR, Gandhi S, Chen S, et al.Health care use and costs of children, adolescents, and young adults with somatic symptom and related disorders.JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(7):e2011295. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.11295

Orzechowska A, Maruszewska P, Gałecki P.Cognitive behavioral therapy of patients with somatic symptoms-Diagnostic and therapeutic difficulties.J Clin Med. 2021;10(14):3159. doi:10.3390/jcm10143159

Sardesai A, Muneshwar KN, Bhardwaj M, Goel DB.The importance of early diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder: A case report.Cureus. 2023;15(9):e44554. doi:10.7759/cureus.44554

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