Somatoform disorder is the name for a group of conditions in which the physical pain and symptoms a person feels are related to psychological factors. These symptoms can’t be traced to a specific physical cause.
• Somatoform disorder is the name for a group of conditions in which the physical pain and symptoms a person feels are related to psychological factors. These symptoms can’t be traced to a specific physical cause. In people who have a somatoform disorder, medical test results are either normal or don’t explain the person’s symptoms.
• People who have this disorder may have several medical evaluations and tests to be sure that they don’t have another illness. They often become very worried about their health because they don’t know what’s causing their health problems.
• Their symptoms are similar to the symptoms of other illnesses and may last for several years. People who have a somatoform disorder are not faking their symptoms. The pain that they feel is real.
• Types of somatoform disorders
• Somatization disorder usually involves pain and severe neurological symptoms.
• Hypochondriasis occurs when a person believes that normal body functions (such as a grumbling stomach) or minor symptoms (such as a common headache) are symptoms of a very serious disorder. • Body dysmorphic disorder occurs when a person becomes obsessed with a flaw in his or her physical appearance that is either a minor flaw or a flaw that doesn’t exist.
• Conversion disorder is when physical symptoms that are similar to a neurological disorder develop, when no neurological disorder is actually present.