What is Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD), and How Can It Be Treated?

Somatic symptom disorder, formerly known as somatization or somatoform disorder, is characterized by the presence of physical symptoms that cannot be accounted for by any recognized physical or mental illness. Nevertheless, it's important to know that people aren't faking their symptoms; they're actual and frequently made worse by the lack of a scientific explanation.

Somatic symptom disorder is different from factitious disorder, in which an individual can fabricate an illness or injury to attract attention.

While people may see it as faking, somatic disorder is a real mental health illness. (Image via Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

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Symptoms of Somatic Symptom Disorder

Symptoms can be seen at both cognitive and physical level. (Image via Pexels/Alex Green)

Individuals must have a set of physical or somatic symptoms that are unexplained for at least six months in order to be diagnosed. However, the symptoms this condition can cause can be quite diverse, ranging from pain to gastrointestinal issues to sexual difficulties.

Although the somatic symptoms are persistent, they frequently alter over time in terms of their precise location, type, and severity. One symptom that does frequently last over time is pain, which can be particularly challenging to manage, as it lasts for a long period and has no obvious underlying cause.

Cognitive symptoms of somatic symptom disorder frequently accompany somatic symptoms and include continuous concern and anxiety, as well as occasionally catastrophic thoughts about death.

Certain cognitive symptoms may make them feel like they're dying. (Image via Pexels/Alex Green)

More often than not, the basis for this diagnosis is these cognitive symptoms in response to the physical symptoms rather than the physical symptoms themselves. In reality, rather than physical symptoms, clinicians judge the severity of the somatic symptom disorder primarily based on how the patient experiences these cognitive symptoms.

If there's only one cognitive symptom, such as persistently dwelling on the symptoms, the illness is thought to be mild. If there are two or more cognitive symptoms, such as rumination and anxiety, they're categorized as moderate.

Additionally, if there're two or more cognitive symptoms, many physical symptoms, or one extreme symptom, such as significant pain, it would be deemed severe. These mental and physical symptoms frequently interfere with a person's day-to-day activities and relationships.

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Treatment of Somatic Symptom Disorder

The treatment is not simple, but it's possible. (Image via Pexels/Pavel)

To identify the presence of a somatic symptom disorder, screening tools are generally helpful. Regular consultations, a solid therapeutic alliance, acceptance, and explanation of the patient's complaints are all crucial for the primary care physician.

Unfortunately, as the symptoms change over time, and there's no definite underlying scientific explanation, making a diagnosis can be challenging and complicated. In the past, it was believed that somatic symptom disorder resulted from a person experiencing excessive psychological stress, which then bubbled over and caused physical symptoms.

According to a current notion, though, people with this illness are very sensitive to physical changes, and ordinary symptoms like indigestion may be magnified in them. One common illustration of that is how various people may interpret the same level of spice very differently; while for some, it can be savory, for others, the same level of spice may cause pain.

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Cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness-based therapy, and medication are examples of effective therapies. The goal of treating somatic symptom disorder is to lessen the cognitive symptoms, which are frequently accomplished through cognitive-behavioral therapy.

To show people with somatic symptom disorder what they are capable of, the idea is to urge them to engage in behaviors that they may feel are restricted by their physical symptoms.

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Janvi Kapur is a counselor with a Master's degree in applied psychology with a specialization in clinical psychology.

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