The key difference between somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder is that somatic symptom disorder is characterized by an extreme focus on physical symptoms such as pain or fatigue and shortness of breath that result in major distress, while conversion disorder is characterized by mental health issues that result in physical symptoms.
Somatic symptom disorder, conversion disorder, illness anxiety disorder, and factitious disorder are all related disorders. However, a person is diagnosed with somatic symptom disorder when they exhibit a significant focus on physical symptoms, such as pain, weakness, or shortness of breath, to a level that results in major distress. On the other hand, conversion disorder is a condition in which a mental health issue manifests as physical symptoms.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Somatic Symptom Disorder
3. What is Conversion Disorder
4. Similarities – Somatic Symptom Disorder and Conversion Disorder
5. Somatic Symptom Disorder vs. Conversion Disorder in Tabular Form
6. FAQ – Somatic Symptom Disorder and Conversion Disorder
7. Summary – Somatic Symptom Disorder vs. Conversion Disorder
What is Somatic Symptom Disorder?
Somatic symptom disorder is a condition in which individuals exhibit an intense focus on physical symptoms, such as pain or fatigue, leading to significant emotional distress and impairments in their ability to function. The symptoms of somatic symptom disorder may encompass pain, fatigue, or weakness, as well as shortness of breath. Individuals with this disorder may experience intense anxiety related to their physical symptoms, harbor concerns that mild symptoms indicate a serious disease, feel that medical practitioners do not take their symptoms seriously, invest substantial time and energy in addressing health conditions, and encounter difficulties in functioning due to their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to these symptoms.
Somatic symptom disorder can be caused by having a negative outlook, being more physically and emotionally sensitive to pain and other sensations, family history, and genetics. Somatic symptom disorder can be diagnosed through family history, physical examination, and mental health examination. Furthermore, treatment options for somatic symptom disorder may include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication such as antidepressants.
What is Conversion Disorder?
Conversion disorder is also known as functional neurological system disorder. Conversion disorder is a condition where a mental health issue disrupts the brain, resulting in real physical symptoms that a person can’t control. The symptoms of conversion disorder may include psychogenic non-epileptic seizures, sense-related disruption, pain, unusual muscle spasms, trouble swallowing, dizziness, fainting, and chronic fatigue. Conversion disorder can be caused by a history of childhood abuse, other mental health conditions like depression or anxiety, a recent stressful or traumatic event and a recent health condition that acts as a trigger for conversion disorder.
Conversion disorder can be diagnosed through physical examination, blood tests, CT scan, electroencephalogram, electromyogram, evoked potentials test, and MRI. Furthermore, treatment options for conversion disorder may include cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, group therapy, physical therapy, and medications such as antidepressants and biofeedback.
What are the Similarities between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Conversion Disorder?
- Somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder are two related disorders.
- Both disorders have family background and genetics.
- They are more common in females.
- Both disorders can be diagnosed through physical evaluation and psychological evaluation.
- They can be treated through cognitive behavioral therapy and medicines like antidepressants.
What is the Difference Between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Conversion Disorder?
Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by an extreme focus on physical symptoms such as pain or fatigue and shortness of breath that results in major distress in individuals, while conversion disorder is characterized by having mental health issues that result in physical symptoms in individuals. Thus, this is the key difference between somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder.
The infographic below presents the differences between somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
FAQ: Somatic Symptom Disorder and Conversion Disorder
What was conversion disorder originally known as?
Functional neurological symptom disorder (FND) is a synonym for conversion disorder.
What are the 4 types of conversion disorder?
The four main types of conversion disorder are motor symptoms (e.g., paralysis or weakness), sensory symptoms (e.g., blindness or numbness), seizures, and mixed presentation (a combination of motor and sensory symptoms).
What is the most common somatic symptom?
Pain is the most common somatic symptom.
Summary – Somatic Symptom Disorder vs. Conversion Disorder
Somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder are two related disorders. Both conditions occur more frequently in females than males. However, somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder have different antecedents and refer to different clinical presentations. Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by an extreme focus on physical symptoms such as pain or fatigue and shortness of breath that results in major distress in individuals, while conversion disorder is characterized by mental health issues that result in real physical symptoms in individuals. So, this summarizes the difference between somatic symptom disorder and conversion disorder.
Reference:
1. “What Is Somatic Symptom Disorder?” Psychiatry.Org. 2. “Conversion Disorder” Statpearls – NCBI Bookshelf.
Image Courtesy:
1. “CBT framework” By Lisa Page – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia 2. “Woman in Gray Tank Top Showing Distress” (CC0) via Pexles