Somatic Symptoms Disorders And Dissociative Disorders
Design a 12-15-slide (not including title and reference slides) PowerPoint presentation that describes and compares somatic symptom disorders and dissociative disorders. Address the following:
Describe the key concepts and therapeutic process of somatic symptom disorders.
Describe the key concepts and therapeutic process of dissociative disorders.
Compare and contrast the rationale of the two therapeutic approaches for explaining psychological behavior.
Sample Answer
Somatic symptom disorders are a group of mental disorders in which people experience physical symptoms that are not caused by a medical condition. These symptoms can be very distressing and can have a significant impact on a person’s life.
The key concepts of somatic symptom disorders include:
- Preoccupation with physical symptoms: People with somatic symptom disorders are preoccupied with their physical symptoms. They may worry excessively about the symptoms, and they may seek medical attention repeatedly.
- Avoidance of activities or situations because of the symptoms: People with somatic symptom disorders may avoid activities or situations because of their symptoms. For example, they may avoid going to work or school because they are worried about their symptoms.
- Negative impact on social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning: The symptoms of somatic symptom disorders can have a significant negative impact on a person’s social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.