Somatic symptom and related disorders are mental health disorders characterized by an intense focus on physical (somatic) symptoms that causes significant distress and/or interferes with daily functioning. The symptoms can involve one or more different organs and body systems, such as:

• Pain
• Neurologic problems
• Gastrointestinal complaints
• Sexual symptoms

Disorders Related to Somatic Symptom Disorder.

• Illness Anxiety Disorder also known as Hypochondriasis)- People with this type are preoccupied with a concern they have a serious disease. They may believe that minor complaints are signs of very serious medical problems. For example, they may believe that a common headache is a sign of a brain tumor.
• Conversion disorder (also called Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder)- This condition is diagnosed when people have neurological symptoms that can’t be traced back to a medical cause. For example, patients may have symptoms such as:

• Weakness or paralysis
• Abnormal movements (such as tremor, unsteady gait, or seizures)
• Blindness
• Hearing loss
• Loss of sensation or numbness

Stress usually makes symptoms of conversion disorder worse.

• Other Specific Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders- This category describes situations in which somatic symptoms occur for less than six months or may involve a specific condition called pseudocyesis, which is a false belief a woman has that she is pregnant along with other outward signs of pregnancy, including an expanding abdomen; feeling labor pains, nausea, fetal movement; breast changes; and cessation of the menstrual period.