Psychosomatic disorder is a psychological condition involving the occurrence of physical symptoms, usually lacking a medical explanation. People with this condition may have excessive thoughts, feelings or concerns about the symptoms — which affects their ability to function well.
Psychosomatic illnesses can be classified in three general forms.
- The first form includes those who experience both a mental illness and a medical one; these illnesses complicate the symptoms and management of each other. Ex. Parkinson’s disease & Depression
- The second form includes those who experience a psychiatric issue that is a direct result of a medical illness or its treatment.Ex. Depression due to cancer and its treatment
- The third form of psychosomatic illness is, 'somatoform,' disorders. In Somatoform disorders physical symptoms people experience are related to psychological factors instead of a medical cause.
Somatoform disorders may include the following:
Somatization Disorder : A disorder in which a person experiences physical complaints such as diarrhoea, headaches, body ache that do not have a physical cause.
Conversion Disorder : A disorder in which a person experiences neurological symptoms affecting their movement and senses which do not seem to have a physical cause. Symptoms may include blindness, seizures, or paralysis.
Body Dysmorphic Disorder : An obsession or preoccupation with an imaginary or minor flaw such as wrinkles or small nose. Body dysmorphic disorder causes severe anxiety and might impact a person's ability to function as usual in their daily life.
Hypochondriasis : A fixation or obsession with the fear of having a serious form of disease. People with hypochondriasis misconstrue usual body functions or minor symptoms as being serious or even life-threatening. A person; for example, with hypochondriasis might become convinced that they have cancer on having some skin rash.