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Somatic symptom disorder

From Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A somatic symptom disorder is a mental condition in which a person has physical symptoms. The symptoms cannot be explained by a medical condition or by substance abuse. Symptoms include shortness of breath, pain and weakness.[1]

Before 2013, somatic symptom disorders were called somatoform disorders.

Symptoms can be similar to other conditions. They will sometimes last for years.[2]

Females report somatic problems almost ten times as often as males of the same (or similar) mental conditions. Symptoms often happen before age 50, but usual diagnoses are age 30 and earlier.[3] The disorder is very controversial because some individuals say the name refers to mental illness.

References

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  1. "What are the Somatic Symptom Disorders". The American Psychiatry Association. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  2. Lafrance, W. (2009). "Somatoform Disorders". Thieme. 29 (3): 234–246. doi:10.1055/s-0029-1223875. PMID 19551600. Retrieved April 2, 2022.
  3. Frances, A. (2013). "A New Somatic Symptoms Disorder under DSM-V Risks Labeling People as Having Mental Illness". BMJ. 346: f1580. doi:10.1136/bmj.f1580. PMID 23511949. S2CID 206897269. Retrieved April 2, 2022.