What is the focus of functional restoration in treating Somatic Symptom Disorder?

• A. Emphasizes returning to daily activities and functioning despite symptoms.
• B. Prioritizes complete symptom elimination before any activity.
• C. Advocates increasing symptom reporting to justify care.
• D. Promotes avoidance of activities until symptoms disappear.

Answer: (D)

Functional restoration centers on helping a person re-engage in daily life even when somatic symptoms persist. The approach uses graded activity, pacing, and coping strategies to increase functioning in work, social, and self-care tasks, rather than waiting for complete symptom relief before resuming activity. It emphasizes that you can return to normal activities and quality of life despite ongoing symptoms, rather than focusing on eliminating symptoms first, avoiding activities, or increasing symptom reporting to justify care.