The conditions, somatization disorder, hypochondriasis, and body dismorphic disorder belong to a group of illnesses called somatoform disorders. Bodily symptoms are a major component of these disorders. The characteristics of these conditions will be compared and contrasted below.
Somatization disorder is characterized by numerous physical complaints related to many organ systems that cannot be explained either by physical examination or laboratory investigations. Hypochondriasis is a condition characterized by pre-occupation with fear of having a serious disease. It is based on individual interpretation of physical sensation as signs of a serious physical disease. Body dyspmorphic disorder, on the other hand, is characterized by a subjective false belief of ugliness: affected patients believe that one or more of their body parts are defective (Shives 306).
Patients with the 3 conditions tend to have anxiety, depression, and obsessive compulsive personality traits. The 3 conditions also interfere with social and occupational functioning of affected patients. This is because affected patients tend to have excessive medical care seeking behaviours and psychological distress. Patients with body dysmorphic disorder also tend to avoid social situations because of anxiety related to the imagined defect. They also attempt to conceal the presumed deformity and to make repeated visits to dermatologists and plastic surgeons in efforts to correct the presumed defects (Barlow & Durand 202).
The age of onset of the 3 conditions differs. Body dysmorphic disorder tends to start between adolescence to 30 years and its onset is gradual; hypochondriasis starts at any age between 20-30 years and is particularly prevalent amongst medical students during the first 2 years of medical school; somatization disorder begins around 30 years of age and it goes on for many years (Barlow & Durand 202). The medical history of patients with the latter disorder tends to be vague, inconsistent, circumstantial, imprecise, and disorganized (Shives 308). Recent research has attributed the etiology of these conditions to biological abnormalities in stress responses and activity of some neurotransmitters in the brain (Shives 305).
In conclusion, the 3 conditions are characterized by bodily symptoms but the presentation of these symptoms differs. The age of onset of the 3 conditions is also different although they all tend to between adolescence and 30 years. The associated co-morbidities such as depression are similar for the 3 conditions. All three conditions interfere with social and occupational functioning.
Works Cited
Barlow, D.H., & Durand, V. M. Abnormal psychology: An integrative approach (5th ed.). Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning, 2008. Print.
Shives, L. R. Basic concepts of psychiatric –mental health nursing (7th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2008. Print
