Somatoform disorders are characterized by real physical symptoms
that cannot be fully explained by a medical condition, the effects of a drug, or
another mental disorder. People with somatoform disorders do not fake symptoms or
produce symptoms intentionally.
Three common somatoform disorders are somatization disorder, conversion
disorder, and hypochondriasis.
Somatization Disorder
Somatization disorder was formerly called
hysteria or Briquet’s syndrome. People
with somatization disorder experience a wide variety of physical symptoms,
such as pain and gastrointestinal, sexual, and pseudoneurological problems.
The disorder usually affects women, begins before age thirty, and continues
for many years.
Conversion Disorder
Conversion disorder is characterized by symptoms that affect
voluntary motor functioning or sensory functioning. These symptoms cannot be
explained medically. A conflict or other stressor precedes the onset or
exacerbation of these symptoms, which implies a relationship between the
symptoms and psychological factors.
Example: After being sexually assaulted, a young girl loses the
ability to speak. Her inability to speak has no medical
explanation.
Hypochondriasis
People with hypochondriasis are preoccupied with fears that
they have a serious disease. They base these fears on misinterpretations of
physical symptoms. People with this disorder continue to worry about having a
serious medical problem even after they receive reassurances to the contrary.
People with hypochondriasis, however, are not delusional—they can acknowledge
that their worries might be excessive.
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