Which statement best describes Somatic Symptom Disorder?

• A. It requires absence of any physical symptom.
• B. It is identical to Illness Anxiety Disorder.
• C. It focuses primarily on the fear of illness regardless of symptoms.
• D. It centers on somatic symptoms with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to those symptoms.

Answer: (D)

Somatic Symptom Disorder centers on somatic symptoms with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to those symptoms. The defining idea is that a person experiences real, distressing bodily symptoms and responds with disproportionate and persistent worry, health-related anxiety, or time and energy devoted to the symptoms. The symptoms themselves may be medically unexplained or disproportionate to any medical condition, and the distress or impairment lasts for months, typically longer than six.

This is why the statement describing a focus on somatic symptoms with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors best captures the essence of Somatic Symptom Disorder. It differs from others that either suggest there are no symptoms, equate it with Illness Anxiety Disorder, or imply the primary focus is fear of illness regardless of symptoms. In Illness Anxiety Disorder the concern is about having a serious illness with little or no significant somatic symptom distress; here the actual symptoms and the response to them are central.