A person does not have SSD simply because a medical cause cannot be found for a physical symptom.
Neither should SSD be mistaken forMunchausen syndromewhere a person makes up an illness.
SSD can show up in different ways.
Tetra Images / Getty Images
You may not “obsess” about them constantly but do so enough to cause significant distress.
Causes
As with most mental disorders, there is no clear-cut cause of SSD.
There may be factors that predispose you to SSD as well aspersonality issuesthat may influence your coping style.
Somatic symptom disorder may manifest in anxiety, but it is not ananxiety disorder.
Depressionis also common with SSD.
Diagnosis
To be diagnosed with SSD, you should probably meet specific criteria outlined in the DSM-5.
It can also be used for insurance purposes to ensure coverage for ongoing mental health care.
Differential Diagnoses
SSD has symptoms and characteristics that overlap with other mental disorders.
American Psychiatric Association.Chapter 9: somatic symptom and related disorders.
In:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition.Washington, DC: APA; 2022. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0217277
MedlinePlus.Somatic symptom disorder.
