List three core CBT components commonly used for Somatic Symptom Disorder.

• A. Brain-body education; cognitive restructuring of catastrophic beliefs; graded exposure with behavioral activation
• B. Only exposure
• C. Pharmacotherapy
• D. Sleep hygiene and relaxation

Answer: (A)

The question checks understanding of the CBT approach most effective for Somatic Symptom Disorder by highlighting three interconnected components that address how symptoms are interpreted and avoided.

Brain-body education explains how bodily sensations can be amplified by the brain, helping patients see that symptoms are not proof of serious disease and can be managed. Cognitive restructuring targets catastrophic beliefs about symptoms, helping to replace all-or-nothing or doom-laden interpretations with more balanced appraisals. Graded exposure with behavioral activation reduces avoidance by gradually re-engaging in feared or activity-limiting tasks, reinforcing that activities can be done without catastrophic outcomes. Together, these elements interrupt the cycle of attention to symptoms, catastrophic thinking, and avoidance that maintains distress and impairment in SSD.

The other options fall short because they either focus on a single element (exposure alone) or on non-CBT approaches (pharmacotherapy), or include only a partial CBT element (sleep hygiene and relaxation) without the full trio of education, cognitive change, and graded behavioral engagement.