Somatoform Disorders

A Closer Look at Psychological Disorders

Somatoform DisordersSomatoform Disorders

These disorders are characterized by physical symptoms brought about by psychological distress.The term hysteria was more commonly used

in Freud’s time to refer to unexplainable fainting, paralysis, or deafness.

Somatoform Disorders: Conversion Somatoform Disorders: Conversion Conversion disorder: the conversion

(change) of emotional difficulties into the loss of a specific physiological function. While the loss of function is real, no actual

physical damage is present. Conversion disorders are rare, accounting for only

about 2% of diagnoses.

Somatoform Disorders: Conversion Somatoform Disorders: Conversion Conversion disorder How do conversion disorders differ from regular

disabilities? They tend to appear when the person is under extreme

stress The symptoms may be physiologically impossible or

improbable Ex: “glove anesthesia,” where lack of feeling stops

abruptly at the wrist, even though nerves extend through the arm

The person may show remarkably little concern about what most people would think was a rather serious problem

Glove anesthesia. •In conversion disorders, the physical complaints are sometimes inconsistent with the known facts of physiology.

•For instance, given the patterns of nerve distribution in the arm shown in (a), it is impossible that a loss of feeling in the hand exclusively, as shown in (b), has a physical cause, indicating that the patient’s problem is psychological in origin.

Somatoform Disorders: Conversion Somatoform Disorders: Conversion (cont.)(cont.) …Most psychologists believe that people

suffering from conversion disorders unconsciously invent physical symptoms to gain freedom from unbearable conflict

Examples: A woman who lived in terror of blurting out things

she did not want to say lost the power of speech. A college student experienced total blindness

every Monday morning, but her vision would begin to return by Friday evening and was fully restored in time for weekend social activities

Somatoform Disorders: Somatoform Disorders: HypochondriasisHypochondriasis Hypochondriasis: a person

who is in good health becomes preoccupied with imaginary ailments. Sufferers spend a lot of time

looking for signs and symptoms of a serious illness and often misinterpret minor aches, bruises, etc. as early signs of a fatal illness.

They often become “experts” on their most feared diseases.

Etiology of Somatoform Disorders How come these people experience these

disorders? What causes them? . . . .

Are they faking?

Etiology of Somatoform DisordersEtiology of Somatoform Disorders Individuals with somatoform disorders are not simply

faking an illness, which would be termed malingering:

Personality factors – Somatoform disorders often emerge in people with highly suggestible, histrionic personalities

Cognitive factors – they also emerge in people who focus excess attention on their physiological processes. Also, cognitively, hypochondriacs are strongly biased to focus on threat-confirming information but to ignore reassuring information

Reaction to stress – Severe stressors may become triggers

Etiology of Somatoform DisordersEtiology of Somatoform Disorders Individuals with somatoform disorders are not simply

faking an illness, which would be termed malingering:

Learned behaviors – They may be learned avoidance strategies, reinforced by attention and sympathy

a person learns during childhood experiences that symptoms of physical illness bring special attention and care

Sociocultural factors – Asian, Latin American, and African cultures are more likely to experience physical symptoms (headaches, etc.) in response to psychological or interpersonal conflicts. In North America, such conflicts are more likely to be accompanied by anxiety or depression

Genetic factors appear to play only a minor role