Which statement best captures the difference between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Illness Anxiety Disorder?

• A. SSD emphasizes somatic symptoms with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors; Illness Anxiety Disorder emphasizes preoccupation with having a serious illness with minimal or no somatic symptoms.
• B. SSD and Illness Anxiety Disorder are the same condition viewed in different settings.
• C. SSD centers on somatic symptoms with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors; Illness Anxiety Disorder centers on preoccupation with having a serious illness with few or no somatic symptoms.
• D. SSD is a mood disorder; Illness Anxiety Disorder is a psychotic disorder.

Answer: (C)

The key difference is what drives the worry. Somatic Symptom Disorder centers on real somatic symptoms that are distressing or disruptive, with the person showing excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors about those symptoms. Illness Anxiety Disorder centers on the preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness, and this worry persists even when somatic symptoms are mild or not present. So the focus shifts from the symptoms themselves in SSD to the fear of illness despite few or no symptoms in Illness Anxiety Disorder. This distinction is what makes the stated contrast the best description of how these two conditions differ.