The physical pain you’re experiencing is real. In Dubai’s high-pressure environment, many people develop persistent symptoms. Like headaches, fatigue, and stomach issues that medical tests alone can’t fully explain.
This pattern is called somatic symptom disorder (SSD), a condition recognized in the DSM-5 where the body’s stress response creates genuine physical distress. It’s not imaginary, and it’s more common than most people realize, especially in high-stress cities, like Dubai.
Our psychiatrists at Enfield Psychiatric Clinic Dubai specialize in somatic symptoms and related disorders, using evidence-based treatments that address both the physical symptoms and the underlying anxiety driving them.
What is Somatic Symptom Disorder?
Somatic symptom disorder is classified in DSM-5 under ‘somatic symptom and related disorders.’ It is understood as an acute focus on physical symptoms or signs, such as pain or fatigue, which contributes to exuberant thoughts, feelings, or behaviors.
What are the Symptoms and Diagnosis of Somatic Symptom Disorder?
Somatic Symptom Disorder manifests in the form of physical complaints, most commonly as back pain and gastrointestinal issues (nausea and bloating), as well as fatigue.
Somatic Symptom Disorder DSM-5 Diagnostic Criteria
Three criteria are important for someone to be diagnosed with Somatic Symptom Disorder.
- Physical Symptoms: One or more physical symptoms which disrupt the lifestyle of a person.
- Excessive Response: Having atleast one of the subsequent symptoms.
- Disproportionate and recurrent thoughts about the seriousness of the symptoms.
- Concurrent high anxiety about the status of the health.
- Devoting excessive time and energy to researching about these symptoms.
- Duration: The state of being symptomatic is consistent. Lasting about six months.
Diagnostic Process
The diagnosis kick-starts with a medical evaluation, which is crucial in essence, in order to rule out or identify underlying medical issues or symptoms.
If the physical findings do not show the reason for distress. The psychological evaluation is carried out to find the psychological roots of the issue. The psychological professional, through psychological assessment, analyzes the behavioral patterns to search for a diagnosis.
What are the Causes and Risk Factors for Somatic Symptom Disorder?
The causes for Somatic Symptom Disorder are multifactorial. They emanate from the multifaceted convergence of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.
- Biological factors such as genetics play a crucial role in the development of this issue. Genetic predispositions lead to heightened pain sensitivity.
- Inability to express emotions and trauma in the past are some of the psychological factors which can culminate in the SSD.
- Chronic stress stemming from financial strain and relationship conflicts can become the environmental reason for the occurrence of somatic symptoms and related disorders.
What are the Types of Somatic Symptom Disorder
Modern psychiatry classifies the following disorders in the category of somatic symptoms and related disorders. These include
Illness Anxiety Disorder (previously known as hypochondriasis):
Some people may start thinking themselves ill (preoccupied with the concerns of being ill), out of nowhere. This concern could be based on a minor disease or symptom, or in some cases, no concern at all. For example, a person suffering from a headache may think he has a brain tumor.
Conversion Disorder (also called Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder):
This is a condition which is diagnosed when people have neurological issues, but they cannot be traced back to a medical cause. For example, seizures (nonepileptic seizures and pseudoseizures), numbness, paralysis, abnormal movements, blindness, or hearing loss.
The primary difference in somatic symptom vs conversion disorder is that the former involves excessive health anxiety, fatigue, and pain, while the latter has to do with neurological deficits, such as seizures or abnormal movements, etc.
Factitious Disorder:
Factitious disorder involves faking an illness. The person may start faking an illness which is in actuality not actually there. They may inflict an injury on themselves as well. The infliction of injury is subconscious; the faking, rather, is conscious. The person wants to take a ‘sick role.’ That’s the entire point of the person suffering from this type.
What are the Treatment Options for SSD
There are many treatment options available to treat somatic symptom disorder. We will classify them into primary and Alternative treatment options.
Primary Treatment Options
The primary treatment options include,
- Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT)
- Medical Management (CARE MD Approach)
- Pharmacotherapy (SSD Pill)
- SSRIs
- SNRIs
- Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs)
Alternative Treatment Options
The alternative psychotherapies are subsequent
- Mindfulness-Based Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
The main objective of all of the treatments listed above is to contain the symptoms of the disorder and help the person function as normally as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I know that I am suffering from Somatic Symptom Disorder?
It’s when your body hurts, maybe a sore back or tired tummy, but doctors say you’re fine. The pain is real, but the worry feels even bigger.
What are the DSM-5 criteria for somatic symptom disorder?
DSM-5 requires one or more distressing somatic symptoms, excessive thoughts/behaviors about them (e.g., disproportionate worry), and persistence for at least six months, classified under somatic symptom and related disorders.
What are the DSM-5 criteria for somatic symptom disorder?
Treatment typically involves CBT to reframe health anxieties, medications for co-occurring issues like depression, and integrated care to avoid unnecessary tests, focusing on reassurance and coping.
What is the difference between somatic symptoms and conversion disorder?
Understanding the difference between conversion disorder vs somatic symptom disorder is that conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms (e.g., paralysis) without a medical cause, often sudden; SSD emphasizes any somatic symptoms with excessive worry, more persistence, and anxiety-driven behavior.
Finding Relief from Physical Distress
Living with Somatic Symptom Disorder, and constant thoughts about yourself being ill is haunting. You feel like living a lone aoul among sky-rising buildings in Dubai. It is certainly a lonely battle. You feel pain, fatigue, and distress, then you visit the doctors and do your tests, but each report comes back ok.
All of your symptoms are not ‘just in your head’; rather, they are real physical experiences caused by a complex connection between your nervous system and your brain’s stress response.
Don’t suffer alone; DHA-licensed doctors at Enfield Psychiatric Clinic in Dubai are available to help you find relief from physical distress. Why wait? Book now.
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