As a student who is interested in psychology and the way the brain works/functions, learning about the somatic symptom disorder intrigues me. I have never actually heard of this disorder before, but hypochondria is about the closest to a somatic disorder that I have learned about. Now, the first thing that really caught my attention about this disorder was the definition about it, “People with somatic symptom disorder become excessively distressed, concerned, and anxious about bodily symptoms that they are experiencing, and their lives are greatly disrupted by the symptoms” (Comer, 2014). This blew my mind. I had always know about people thinking they have had every sickness or believe they are suffering from something they are not, I am also aware of the placebo effect, but the fact that people can create such strong distress in their lives from bodily symptoms they experience is something that brought out my curious nature of why and how. Another thing that is very interesting to me is that there are two patterns of somatic symptom disorder, called somatization pattern (the individual experiences a large and even varied number of bodily symptoms) and predominant pain pattern (which is the individual’s primary bodily problem being the experience of pain) (Comer, 2014).
The symptoms of somatic symptom disorder can often be hard to notice because it is psychological and many times the pain they express may seem legit. Many people with the somatization pattern of the somatic symptom disorder will experience many long-lasting physical ailments, and these ailments typically have little to no physical basis (Comer, 2014). These people will usually go from doctor to doctor, hospital to hospital just to find some relief or even answers...
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...society. As stated before this disorder untreated can cause great distress in an individual’s life, which can result in losing a job or can even ruin any relationships they may have with others. The individual’s pain can also render them incapable of getting out, which may cause them to be depressed, or even become anti-social. The DSM-5 checklist states, that somatic symptom disorder is a presence of one or more somatic symptoms that are distressing and/or significantly disruptive to daily life. It goes on to say that these excessive thought and feeling behaviors, can take up excessive time and energy that is devoted to their symptoms or health concerns and these can typically last longer than six months, but may not always be continuously (Comer, 2014).
Works Cited
Comer, R. J. (2014). Fundamentals of Abnormal Psychology (7 ed.). New York: Worth Publishers.
...oermann et al, 2005). This has a tendency to lead to an insecure sense of one’s self. (Hoermann et al, 2005) A person with this disorder has a difficult time being reliable. This can be from constant career change, relationships and goals. These essential changes occur without any warning. (Hoermann et al, 2005)
Understanding psychological disorders are very important in human development, the first step is to define what is meant by a disorder. How do psychologists determine that there something is psychologically wrong with a person? What behaviours are abnormal? A psychological disorder, also known as a mental disorder, is a pattern of behavioural or psychological symptoms that impact multiple life areas and/or create distress for the person experiencing these symptoms. A clear sign of abnormal behaviour or mental state is when an individual's behaviour is destructive to themselves or their social group, such as family, friends. Above all psychological disorders create a maladaptive pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that lead to detriments in relationships and other life areas. There are several ethical issues in treating psychological disorders. There two ways of treating psychological disorders through; psychotherapy this form of treatment involves social interactions between a trained professional (therapist) and client. This is delivered on a one-to-one, face-to-face meeting. Another way of treating psychological disorder is through pharmacological treatments. This is the use of proactive drugs to treat certain disorders. This essay will aim to highlight the pros and cons of using pharmacological and psychological treatments.
Unger’s obsessive compulsive disorder which has led to depression and attempted suicide. People with obsessive compulsive disorder suffer from unwanted and often intrusive thoughts that they can’t get out of their heads. They are often compelled to repeatedly do tasks in a ritualistic way in an attempt to eliminate their anxiety. They are most often aware that their obsessions or compulsions are irrational; however, they are still powerless to stop them and may spend countless hours doing these tasks over and over. This can and often does interfere with a person’s normal live and may make them less productive and successful at work, school, socially and even with family. If left untreated OCD will eventually interfere with all aspects of a person’s life
About the second diagnosis, the reason I believe she has symptoms of illness anxiety disorder, not somatic symptom disorder, is that she has no severe physical symptom l...
 Mild, chronic depression has probably existed as long as the human condition, although it has been referred to by various different names. The DSM-III replaced the term “neurotic depression” with dysthymic disorder--which literally means ‘ill-humored’-and it was added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 1980
Due to the intense nature of the physical symptoms of PD and its impact of one’s life, various researchers has identified different contributory factors of this disorder. Some studies indicated hyperventilation, over activity in the noradrenergic neurotransmitter system, interceptive classical conditioning, anxiety sensitivity, catastrophic misinterpretation of bodily sensations and safety behaviors are potential factors of PD (Davey, 2014). While, other researchers have stated PD is possibly caused by genetic predisposition, abnormalities in serotonin, and early developmental factors (Sansone et al., 1998). As the etiology of PD remains unknown and further studies are being conducted, it is agreed upon the mental health community that biological, psychological and cognitive factors contribute to the etiology and maintenance of PD.
“I was feeling really depressed yesterday.” “She looks so anorexic.” “I’m really OCD about my room.” “My boyfriend is acting so bipolar.” We all hear variations of these sentences daily and may even use them ourselves. Although it is not intended to cause harm to anyone, mental illness should not be phrased as adjectives. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) says that one in five Americans has a mental illness but those seeking help are not taken as seriously as they would be if they were exhibiting a physical health problem. According to the NHS Human Services, “92 percent of people with physical health problems receive the treatment they need, but by comparison, only 26 percent of people with mental
is one of the most common and serious mental health problems facing individuals today (All
...h with their own symptoms, causes, and solutions. In anxiety disorders, the affected person will experience dread or fear in response to certain situations or places. In severe cases, the person cannot regulate these feelings, which could possibly result in an attack. In mood disorders, the affected person feels fluctuating emotions in extremes. Among these, the most common include bipolar disorder and depression. In psychotic disorders, the victim has a distorted perception of reality, involving thinking and the five senses. The most common symptoms include visual hallucinations, hearing voices or other delusions, and the person cannot decipher these hallucinations from reality. In eating disorders, the person experiences compulsions involving food, weight, and self image. Among these disorders, the most common include bulimia, anorexia, and binge eating disorder.
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV); A person who suffers from this disorder must have a depressed mood, or have lost interest in things that would have normally brought them pleasure; for a minimum of two weeks. This must be different then the person’s normal behaviors, and it may not be caused by a general medical condition. (American Psychiatric Association, 1994)
There are two different kinds of disorders, personality disorders and psychological disorders. Psychological disorders are illnesses that an individual experiences a restricted period in which they possess an illness. Personality disorders are long lasting traits that play a large role in the individual's personality (Rathus, 2010). No matter what kind of disorder a person may possess their lives are affected everyday by them. The disorder takes over their body and consumes them as a person. Disorders are oftentimes misunderstood. You do not have the ability to make a split second decision and then continue life without that disorder, it will take lots of counseling. Everyone has some kind of minute form of a disorder even
...ll as other mental illnesses, which can lead to a myriad of problems in an individual’s life.
Frequent Crying Spells: When a person feels overloaded they will react emotionally in the form of crying which is linked to feeling of
Halgin, R. P., & Whitbourne, S. K. (2010). Abnormal psychology: clinical perspectives on psychological disorders (6th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
One of the illness is called body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), which a person suffers from his/her own uncontrollable feeling to stare and think about their real or perceived flaws for hours. This obsessions make them difficult to pay attention and thus affect their daily performance in society, either at work or school. People with severe BDD tend to be pessimistic with their future because their imperfections are prominent to them and often cause emotional distress. Attempt of suicides may even happen when it comes to an extreme