Mental Illness

One of the most frequently seen somatoform patterns is Hypochondriasis, which is characterized by multiple complaints about possible physical illness where no evidence of such illness can be found. They express a preoccupation with health matters and unrealistic fears of disease. Although hypochondriacal people repeatedly seek medical advice, their fears are not in the least lessened by doctor’s reassurance.
Individual with this disorder may complain of uncomfortable and peculiar ...

Conversion disorder, earlier called hysteria, involve neurotic pattern in which symptoms of some physical malfunction or loss of control appear without any underlying organic pathology.

The term hysteria was derived from the Greek word meaning “uterus”. It was thought by Hippocrates and other ancient Greeks that this disorder was restricted to women, and that it was caused by sexual difficulties, particularly by the wandering of a frustrated uterus to various parts of ...

The term somatoform derives from the Greek soma for body, and the somatoform disorders are broad group of illnesses that have bodily signs and symptoms as a major component. These disorders encompass mind-body interactions in which the brain sends various signals that impinge on patient’s awareness, indicating a serious problem in body.

Somatization Disorder
It is characterized by the following clinical features.
1.Multiple somatic symptoms in the absence of any ...