Unexplained symptoms

Question 1

What is somatisation disorder?

Answer 1

• Multiple physical symptoms present for at least 2 years

- Patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results

Question 2

What is illness anxiety disorder (hypochondriasis)?

Answer 2

• Persistent belief in the presence of an underlying serious disease (cancer)
• Patient refuses to accept reassurance or negative test results

Question 3

What is conversion disorder?

Answer 3

• Typically involves loss of motor or sensory function
• Patient does not consciously feign the symptoms or seek material gain
• Patients may be indifferent to their apparent disorder (la belle indifference)

Question 4

What is dissociative disorder?

Answer 4

• Process of ‘separating off’ certain memories from normal consciousness
• dissociative identity disorder (new term for multiple personality disorder) is the most severe form of dissociative disorder

Question 5

What is factitious disorder?

Answer 5

• Munchausen’s syndrome
• Intentional production of physical or psychological symptoms

(Munchausen by proxy if condition/symptoms are imposed on another person)

Question 6

What is malingering?

Answer 6

Fraudulent simulation or exaggeration of symptoms with the intention of financial or other gain