Key Takeaways
- Somatic symptom and related disorders are mental health conditions that can produce physical symptoms that may feel distressing.
- Somatic symptom disorder brings about physical symptoms that might not be explainable with a medical diagnosis.
- Experiencing somatic symptoms can be normal and doesn’t necessarily signal the presence of a somatic symptom disorder.
Imagine that you’re experiencing pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, seizures, or weakness in your limbs, but they can’t be connected to a medical diagnosis. Or perhaps you do have symptoms that are tied to a medical condition, but they’re more severe and distressing than what’s typically expected with the same diagnosis.
If this sounds like something you can relate to, you could be experiencing somatic symptom and related disorders (previously known as somatoform disorders). These are a group of mental health conditions that have unexplained physical symptoms.
In children, these conditions occur equally among both boys and girls. This differs from somatic symptom disorder, which is a separate condition that affects around 5% to 7% of adults. People assigned female at birth are 10 times more likely to be diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder than those assigned male at birth.
Having somatic symptom disorder or a related disorder can be a confusing and painful experience, both physically and emotionally. But you don’t have to suffer — help is available.
How the mind and body are connected
Your brain and body “talk” to each other all the time so you can go about your life with minimal threats. For example, after accidentally touching a hot stove, your hand immediately moves away to minimize bodily harm. But sometimes this system doesn’t work properly.
That’s what experts think happens with somatic symptom and related disorders — the communication between your brain and body gets “hijacked.” It can be too hypersensitive, not sensitive enough, or the messages get sent to the wrong place. For example, someone’s brain might send too many signals in the brain’s pain centers, to the point where this activity can be seen on brain scans.
To be clear, it’s normal for people to experience somatic symptoms that don’t upend their lives. If you’ve ever felt “butterflies” in your stomach or had gastrointestinal issues because of anxiety or nervousness, that’s a somatic symptom. But somatic symptom and related disorders go much further than occasional and fleeting minor somatic issues.
Your somatic symptoms are real, though it might frustrate you that they aren’t diagnosable. It can be easy to trick yourself into thinking that without a medical diagnosis, your symptoms don’t exist or don’t matter. But if you’re in pain or experiencing serious disruptions to your everyday life due to a mental health condition, you deserve quality medical care.
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What types of somatic symptom disorders are there?
Different conditions fall under the umbrella of somatic symptom and related disorders, including:
- Somatization disorder: Somatization disorder — or somatic symptom disorder — is characterized by an intense focus on physical symptoms that usually seriously disrupt peoples’ lives.
While people may actually receive a medical diagnosis linked to these symptoms, they continue to focus on them in an unhealthy way. For example, you might think in a catastrophic way about your diagnosis, or make finding answers about your symptoms the sole focus of your life. You might even rule out exercise because you think it will hurt your body.
- Conversion disorder: Conversion disorder occurs when a mental health issue causes the brain to misfire or work incorrectly. The result is a host of physical symptoms that you can’t control. For example, people with conversion disorder could experience symptoms like paralysis, blindness, body weakness, and seizures.
- Hypochondria or illness anxiety disorder: You’re probably familiar with the term hypochondria or hypochondriac. It’s often used hyperbolically. For example, “She always thinks she’s sick. She’s such a hypochondriac!” But hypochondria — or illness anxiety disorder — is a real mental health condition. It causes people to uncontrollably think they’re seriously ill or might become sick.
Even if it’s proven that they don’t have a physical medical condition, people with hypochondria still worry that they have one.
- Fibromyalgia: Experts believe fibromyalgia occurs because the condition heightens painful sensations by affecting the way the brain and the spinal cord processes painful and painless signals. They also think that fibromyalgia causes abnormal changes in chemicals associated with pain.
What conditions frequently coexist with somatic disorders?
The name “somatic symptom disorder” can be confusing, but it’s its own individual condition, along with being partially included in the umbrella term “somatic symptom and related disorders.”
While certain conditions fall under the category of somatic symptom and related disorders, they’re different from somatic symptom disorder. For example, a condition like illness anxiety disorder doesn’t manifest physical symptoms, but somatic symptom disorder does.
If you’re dealing with a somatic symptom disorder, you’re more likely to also have another mental health condition. Anxiety and depression top the list for conditions that most commonly co-occur with somatic disorders.
Anxiety disorders are different from somatic disorders, but it might help to think of them as working in conjunction with one another. Anxiety can cause physical distress, and somatic disorders can increase your anxiety.
Symptoms from somatic disorders can be debilitating and confusing. People with these conditions may also undergo extensive medical tests in hopes of finding a medical explanation for their malaise. This process can be frustrating and may turn up few answers. Know that your experience is real, and it’s important that your health is taken seriously.
Some people might take up drugs, alcohol, or other substances as a relief for their symptoms. That’s why substance use disorders also commonly occur alongside somatic disorders.
Three myths you should know about somatic symptom and related disorders
Several common myths surround somatic symptom and related disorders. Here’s the truth about this category of mental health conditions:
Myth 1: People with somatic symptom and related disorders are overreacting.
Fact: Physical symptoms from somatic symptom and related disorders can be very painful. People with these conditions aren’t making them up, and they can’t control them on their own.
Myth 2: Some somatic symptom and related disorders don’t actually exist.
Fact: These conditions are as real as medical diagnoses like depression or bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, many people with somatic symptom and related disorders, like fibromyalgia, often have to convince the medical community and people in their life to get them to believe that their condition is legitimate.
Myth 3: Somatic symptom and related disorders always result in physical pain.
Fact: Not all of these conditions produce physical manifestations. For example, hypochondria or illness anxiety disorder doesn’t produce physical symptoms. Instead, it’s characterized by an intense worry or even obsession about nonexistent issues with your physical health.
Collaborating with professionals ensures that you receive holistic treatment that validates your experience while addressing underlying emotional and physiological factors for long-term healing.
Find care with Rula
Living with somatic symptom and related disorders can be a frustrating and debilitating experience. You might also feel that no one understands what you’re going through. But there are empathetic and knowledgeable therapists who can help you.
At Rula, we’re committed to delivering a comprehensive behavioral health experience that helps people feel seen and understood so they can get back to feeling their best.
Rula makes it easier to find a licensed therapist or psychiatric provider who accepts your insurance so you don’t have to choose between affordable care and excellent care. With a diverse network of more than 10,000 providers, 24/7 crisis support, and appointments available as soon as tomorrow, we’re here to help you make progress — wherever you are on your mental health journey.
About the author
Siobhan Neela-Stock
Siobhan Neela-Stock is a writer and journalist who focuses on health, particularly mental health. She earned her master's in journalism from Northwestern University in 2018 and worked at Mashable for over two years where she focused on social good reporting.
Her writing has appeared in the New York Times, SELF, Fortune, Verywell Health, among other publications. Neela-Stock also teaches writing and journalism at several universities.
She enjoys traveling, dancing, playing dodgeball, and spending time with her loved ones.
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