Somatoform disorders include those where the symptoms suggest a medical condition however no specific condition can be identified. The person may report significant pain or constant aches and pains without a known medical or biological cause. Physical examination may demonstrate multiple operations in unsuccessful attempts to diagnose or relieve symptoms. Alcohol or other drug misuse (abuse) is common in people with somatoform disorders, as a means of attempting to treat their somatic pain.
Symptoms and characteristics
There are several types of somatoform disorders which are listed below along with the individual symptoms and characteristics:
- Body dysmorphic disorder is characterised by an excessive pre-occupation with a specific body part which causes distress or significant impairment in functioning, based purely on the belief that this body part is deformed or defective
- Conversion disorder is characterised by deficits in voluntary motor or sensory functions which are not intentionally produced, but cannot be fully explained medically
- Hypochondriasis involves a pre-occupation with fears of having a serious disease based upon a misinterpretation of bodily sensations, despite assurance from the medical profession that the individual does not have any such disease
- Pain disorder is characterised by pain which causes significant distress or impairment which cannot be fully explained medically. The disorder often involves other symptoms such as depression, anxiety and drug abuse (misuse). It has been suggested that reinforcement of the sick role may play a role in the development of pain disorder.
General symptoms across somatoform disorders include:
- reported pain with physical complaints reported prior to the age of 30
- anxiety
- depression, including suicidal threats
- reported gastrointestinal discomfort or disturbance
For more information on some of these symptoms and characteristics, please see the links below:
Workplace solutions and adjustments
In the workplace somatoform disorders need to be managed similar to anxiety or depression. As anxiety and depression can have an emotional impact on how a person behaves, there are strategies that can be put into place to reduce the effect that a somatoform disorder has on a person’s performance, such as:
- allow for open and honest communication between employer and employee so both parties can express any concerns
- if appropriate provide education to the individual who has a somatoform disorder and to other employees so that everyone has an understanding of how the condition can affect people. This is especially important as people who have never come into contact with the disorder can find it hard to understand how people will behave and why
- if professional help has not yet been sought, suggest that the employee does so and if possible provide the professional help through the workplace so that the employee has on the job support
- adjust the person’s workstation so that it does not worsen their symptoms or symptom belief.
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References
AllPsych 2004, Somatoform disorders, AllPscyh and Heffner Media Group Inc., Florida, viewed 10 August 2011,
http://allpsych.com/disorders/somatoform/index.html.
Somatoform Australia (no date specified), Somatoform disorders, Somatoform Australia, online, viewed 10 August 2011,
http://somatoformaustralia.org/index.html.