Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a mental health condition that manifests with physical symptoms that cannot be explained by any other medical condition. Symptoms can include pain, anxiety, gastrointestinal distress, and neurological issues, all of which have a negative impact on quality of life. Those who are struggling need to find the right type of treatment for somatic symptom disorder to provide long-term relief.
Understanding Somatic Symptom Disorder
Somatic symptom disorder presents with physical symptoms that cause significant disruptions or distress to daily life. These symptoms must remain persistent, typically for more than 6 months, although the individual symptoms don’t have to be continuously present and can fluctuate.
Symptoms
Key symptoms include:
- Disproportionate thoughts related to your physical symptoms that are persistent
- Persistently high anxiety levels related to your symptoms or your overall health
- Excessive time and energy devoted to your health concerns or you’re somatic symptoms
Individuals with somatic symptom disorder typically have multiple somatic symptoms, but many people experience only one symptom, most commonly pain. This can be nonspecific pain like General fatigue or specific, localized pain.
The symptoms are physical manifestations that cause physical discomfort and abnormal bodily sensations but are not explained by any serious disease or supported by medical evidence.
Prevalence
According to the DSM, population-based studies with questionnaires have found rates between 6.7% and 17.4% for somatic symptom disorder across adults and adolescents. Women tend to have higher rates of somatic symptoms compared to men.
Risk Factors and Causes
The risk factors and causes include temperamental factors, like neuroticism, environmental factors like low socioeconomic status and high risks of childhood sexual abuse, as well as course modifiers like mental health disorders, chronic physical conditions, limited education or socioeconomic status, unemployment, and a reported history of childhood adversity or sexual abuse.
Why Treatment is Essential
Somatic symptom disorder treatment is essential because, without it, individuals will undergo several tests for medical illnesses and struggle with high levels of worry or anxiety about their potential illness.
It is not uncommon for people to experience chronic distress if they don’t get treatment for somatic symptom disorder. Even mild forms of somatic symptom disorder will have physical and mental impairments in terms of quality of life, not just because of persistent pain but because of the constant worry and preoccupation about the seriousness of those symptoms.
Importance of Personalized Treatment of Somatic Symptom Disorder
The right somatic symptoms disorder treatment can help overcome chronic distress and reduced functioning associated with the condition.
However, that treatment should be tailored and include a long-term treatment plan. So, what does this look like for most people?
Effective Somatic Symptom Disorder Treatment Options
There are several options for effectively treating somatic symptom disorder:
#1. Psychotherapy
Therapy is the foundation of all treatments for somatic symptom disorder. Cognitive behavioral therapy is the most common as it helps you identify automatic negative thoughts associated with your condition that might directly influence how you physically feel and how you feel emotionally in terms of anxiety or depression.
From there, you can learn coping strategies and ways to improve your stress or mood so that you can, by extension, improve your physical symptoms.
#2. Medications
There are medications that can be used for underlying depression or anxiety, both of which can contribute to somatic symptoms. Medications often include antidepressants, designed to help with the underlying anxiety or depression related to the physical symptoms, but not directly relieving the physical symptoms.
#3. Holistic Approaches
Holistic approaches are another option, and these include lifestyle modifications like:
- A balanced diet
- Regular exercise
- Good sleep
- Stress management
- Socialization
- Medication and mindfulness
A big part of holistic approaches focuses on pain management techniques that don’t rely extensively on medication, including relaxation exercises and physical therapy.
Multidisciplinary care is integral to overall recovery and symptom management. This means working with several disciplines or types of treatment so that each can benefit from the other. This also means working with a group of healthcare professionals who support you in your recovery.
Self-Help Strategies to Support Professional Treatment
There are also self-help strategies that can be effectively included as part of your professional treatment.
Journaling and tracking symptoms
One of the ways to measure the efficacy of your somatic symptom disorder treatment is to keep a journal and regularly track your symptoms. The more you track your symptoms alongside information pertinent to your treatment plan, like how much you slept, what you ate, and whether or not you exercised, the easier it will be for you and your care team to determine whether certain measures are working.
Setting realistic goals for recovery
When you work with professional treatment, you’ll have an opportunity to set goals for recovery. A big part of treatment for somatic symptom disorder is to have realistic goals. You don’t want to start your treatment plan assuming that all of your symptoms or your chronic pain will go away within a few weeks.
Instead, you might set goals that help you utilize lifestyle changes and monitor one aspect of symptom improvement for the first month and then another for the second month.
Building a support system
Support goes a long way toward overall success, so it’s important that you build a support system with those with whom you are closes,t including friends and family. You can also find support in your local area by participating in support groups for people with the same condition.
Participation in professional treatment can be more successful when you utilize these helpful strategies.
How to Choose the Right Treatment Plan
When it comes to choosing the right treatments for somatic symptom disorder, it’s important to remember that what works well for you may not work well for someone else, and vice versa. That is why it is integral that you consult healthcare professionals and continue to work with those professionals over the span of several months to determine whether things like medication and pain management have proven useful.
Importance of consulting healthcare professionals
When you consult with healthcare professionals, you can work with a healthcare team that regularly reviews the efficacy of certain treatment measures. The treatment of somatic symptom disorder relies heavily on medical evaluations at the start to rule out other medical explanations and from there can include multidisciplinary approaches that help improve symptoms and function.
Evaluating options based on individual preferences and needs
A big part of successful treatment for somatic symptom disorder relies on evaluating options based on your personal preferences and needs. While some people might experience mild symptoms, others experience severe symptoms.
As mentioned, there are a range of physical and mental symptoms associated with SSD, so the treatment plan you choose should focus heavily on addressing each of these symptoms on a personal level.
The role of follow-up and adjusting treatment as necessary
Follow-up and adjustments for your treatment can help you maintain progress long-term. Somatic symptoms disorder treatment might include lifestyle modifications in addition to exercise and medication that could be effective at the start of your treatment, but as you progress, medications might need to be changed, doses might need to be altered, or you may no longer need medication.
Remember that consultations on a regular basis and follow-ups go a long way toward ensuring the right plan to manage your symptoms.
Summing Up
Overall, individuals with SSD should seek early intervention and comprehensive treatment. The right kind of care can help you improve your symptoms and your function, and ongoing evaluations and follow-ups can make it possible to manage a chronic condition with long-term success. Always seek professional help and remain proactive in managing your somatic symptom disorder symptoms.
