Somatoform disorders: what are they?
Doctors use the term somatization or functional disorder to describe a condition in which a person has physical symptoms for which, however, no organic cause can be found. It is believed that the difficulties in this case are somehow related to the overall psychological state of the person. It is important to realize that the affected person feels the reported symptoms very realistically and is not “faking” them. Otherwise, he is met with misunderstanding, often even from his immediate surroundings.
Somatization disorder , or somatoform vegetative dysfunction , can affect any organ system or individual organ , and often has a chronic course. The specific manifestations and severity of the difficulties can change over time. At first, inexplicable symptoms often have an impact on the social life of the affected person. Diverse, recurrent, and frequently changing physical symptoms that last for at least two years are typical. Most patients go through a long and complicated period of various physical ailments during which they undergo a series of diagnostic tests.
What are the types of somatoform disorders?
In the following paragraphs, the most important types of somatoform disorders are briefly described .
Somatization disorder
Somatization disorder is characterized by long-lasting physical symptoms for which either no organic cause can be found, or the patient actually suffers from some physical disease , but the type and extent of his current physical problems are not at all typical for this disease.
As a result of the ongoing effort to find the cause of the reported symptoms, the patient will undergo a number of different examinations. A person suffering from somatization disorder may complain of abdominal pain , nausea, diarrhea , chest pain , pain when urinating, pain in the limbs, or numbness in the limbs. If the symptoms are expressed more weakly (especially if they occurred relatively recently), we speak of a so-called undifferentiated somatization disorder .
Somatoform vegetative dysfunction
In somatoform autonomic dysfunction, the sufferer suffers from symptoms that seem to be caused by a physical disorder of a system or organ that cannot be controlled by will (e.g. heart function, digestion or breathing). The affected person then feels that he is suffering from a disease of a specific organ system or organ (e.g. heart , stomach , intestines , lungs or urinary tract ). Among the symptoms can be, for example, an accelerated heart rate, bursts of sweating, breathing difficulties, faster fatigue, more frequent bowel movements or a more frequent need to urinate. However, a more accurate diagnostic examination cannot reveal the organic cause of these difficulties.
Examples of somatoform autonomic dysfunction include:
- irritable bowel ,
- heartburn without an organic cause (non-ulcer dyspepsia ),
- chest pain without an organic cause (non-cardiac chest pain),
- vertigo without an organic cause ( psychogenic vertigo),
- tinnitus ,
- unexplained back pain
- fibromyalgia .
Persistent somatoform pain disorder
In persistent somatoform pain disorders, the sufferer suffers from chronic and severe pain, the cause of which, however, cannot be clarified. In these cases, it usually turns out over time that the cause of the pain is psychological and social stress.
Hypochondriacal disorder
Hypochondriacal disorder is characterized by prolonged anxious self-observation and fear of illness. The sufferer misinterprets even minor physical symptoms and is so convinced of their seriousness that it negatively affects their daily life. This includes the so-called body dysmorphic disorder , where the sufferer focuses on perceived flaws and imperfections in their appearance.
Other somatoform disorders
Other somatoform disorders are characterized by disturbances in perception, illness behavior, and bodily functions that have nothing to do with the autonomic nervous system . These disorders are limited to specific body parts or organ systems. Even in this case, burdensome circumstances or events and mental problems play a significant role. An example is unexplained psychogenic itching.
In a broader sense , somatoform disorders also include dissociative disorders , or conversion disorders. According to the so-called conversion model, unconscious conflicts in the human soul lead to physical difficulties, or contribute to the development of the disease. These conflicts are mostly related to traumatic experiences in early childhood. Severe dissociative disorders are characterized by loss of memories, difficulty understanding one’s own identity, and uncontrollable body movements.
Approximately two-thirds of those affected have to face other mental problems or illnesses, especially depression . It is estimated that 4-19% of the population of developed Western countries suffer from some somatoform disorder, with women being affected more often than men. Somatoform disorder is mostly psychologically very exhausting for those affected.
What causes somatoform disorders?
There is no single explanation for the emergence of somatoform disorders yet. However, experts assume that it is an interplay of various biological , mental and social factors.
Among others, the following factors can contribute to the development of a somatoform disorder:
- heredity ,
- changes in metabolism in the nervous system , i.e. neurobiological, or psycho-neuro-immunological factors (i.e. relationships between mental state, metabolism within the nerves and brain and the immune system ),
- psychological factors – traumatic experiences , e.g. for victims of sexual abuse or domestic violence , but also for people who have experienced war or a natural disaster,
- social aspects – in this case, the connection between work and social status (especially for people who are financially disadvantaged) on the one hand and health/disease on the other plays a very important role; only if it is possible to reveal this connection, it is possible to propose appropriate therapeutic measures.
Although increased sensitivity to bodily processes (and their distorted interpretation ) is not the cause of a psychosomatic disorder, it is nevertheless an essential factor for its maintenance.
