Sophia Chavez, Haley Coleman, Carmen
Cortes, Tyler Dean, Jessie Wakelin
Somatization Disorder
A long term chronic disorder where the
individual experiences pain in one of more
parts of the body
 Symptoms:

 Physical pains that can last for years
 Pain often includes problems with digestive,
nervous and reproductive systems
 Ex: headaches, chest pain, back pain, paralysis,
nausea, abdominal pain, pain in the arms
and/or legs, difficulty swallowing, dizziness,
vision changes
Somatization cont.

In order to be diagnosed, each of the following criteria must be met:
 Four pain symptoms: a history of pain in at least four different
parts of the body (head, back, joints, etc.)
 Two gastrointestinal symptoms: a history of at least two
gastrointestinal symptoms other than pain (nausea, bloating,
etc.)
 One sexual symptom: a history if at least one sexual or
reproductive symptom other than pain (sexual indifference,
erectile or ejaculatory dysfunction, etc.)
Other information:
 This disorder is more commonly found in women than it is in
men and usually begins before age 30
 It is more common in people with irritable bowel syndrome,
chronic pain, and people who have a history of being sexually
abused.
 It is important to remember that these symptoms are real and
not created or faked on purpose
Hypochondriasis
What is Hypochondriasis? -Hypochondria is a type of somatization
disorder in which a person has the belief that physical symptoms
are signs of a serious illness, even when there is no medical
evidence to support the presence of an illness.
 Symptoms:

People with hypochondria are unable to control their fears and worries.
They often believe any symptom or sensation is a sign of a serious
illness.
 They seek out reassurance from family, friends, or health care providers
on a regular basis. They feel better for a short time at most, and then
begin to worry about the same symptoms, or about new symptoms.
 Symptoms may shift and change, and are often vague.
 People with hypochondria often examine their own body.
-Those who are affected may recognize that their fear of having a serious
disease is unreasonable or unfounded.

Effects of Hypochondria
Anxiety attacks or panic attacks
Depression
Fear of impending doom
Loss of appetite
Decreased libido
Increased self-consciousness
Decreased motivation in life.
Numbness in certain parts of the body (forehead, hands,
etc)
Chronic fatigue
What Causes It
Emotional Issues
High Stress
Major Disease Outbreaks
Predicted Pandemics
Conversion Disorder


What is conversion disorder?- a neurological disorder in which physical
symptoms are unconsciously caused by a stressful or traumatic event. An
example of this is a person who loses his voice following a situation in which
he was afraid to speak.
Symptoms: it is important to understand that the symptoms of conversion disorder
are involuntary, that is, the person does not consciously act out, or pretend that they
have the symptoms. A hallmark of these symptoms is their lack of connection to any
known organic medical diagnoses. Some of the most common symptoms include:
 Impaired coordination and balance
 Paralysis of an arm or leg
 Loss of sensation in a part of the body
 Loss of a sense, such as blindness or deafness
 Inability to speak
 Difficulty swallowing or a sensation of a lump in the throat
 Sensory symptoms, such as:
○ Loss of sense of pain
○ Tingling or crawling sensations


Vomiting and abdominal pain
seizures
Other information about
Conversion disorder
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A risk factor is something that increases your change of getting a disease of condition.
Conversion disorder may affect people at any age. While some studies have suggested
that conversion disorders occurs most frequently in women, it can affect both men and
women.
Conversion disorders occur more commonly in rural areas, among individuals with
fewer years of education and of lower socioeconomic status.
Everyone who develops conversion disorder was exposed to a traumatic event.
However, there are other factors that may increase the likelihood of developing the
disorder, including:
 A previous history of personality or psychological disease
 Physical or sexual abuse, particularly in children
 Gender: females
 Age: adolescence
 Economic difficulties
 Family members with either conversion disorder or chronic illness
 Co-exsisting psychiatric conditions such as depression or anxiety, co-exsisting
personality disoders, such as histrionic, passive-dependent, or passive-aggressive
personality disoder.
Causes of Somatization
disorders as a group
The direct cause of these disorders is usually
experiencing a very stressful traumatic event.
 Hypochondiasis can be developed after a serious
childhood illness or illness of a loved one.
 A history of physical or sexual abuse
 Defense against psychological distress:
 An old theory of the cause is that they were a way to
avoid psychological distress. Rather than
experiencing anxiety or depression, individuals will
develop physical symptoms.
