The present work examines the change in color reflection in psychogenic pain in patients with somatoform disorders (SFD) during psychotherapeutic treatment, for which empatho-techniques were used. At the start and end of the course the psychophysiological condition was determined according to psychological parameters and assessment of bioelectrical brain activity. All initial indicators for the...

BACKGROUND In order to clarify the classification of physical complaints not attributable to verifiable, conventionally defined diseases, a new diagnosis of bodily distress syndrome was introduced. The aim of this study was to test if patients diagnosed with one of six different functional somatic syndromes or a DSM-IV somatoform disorder characterized by physical symptoms were captured by the ...

OBJECTIVE To determine if different mental disorders commonly seen in primary care are uniquely associated with distinctive patterns of impairment in the components of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and how this compares with the impairment seen in common medical disorders. DESIGN Survey. SETTING Four primary care clinics. SUBJECTS A total of 1000 adult patients (369 selected by co...

OBJECTIVE To identify the similarities and differences of risk factors and correlates of different groups of people fulfilling criteria for specified diagnostic groups according to current somatoform disorder (SDs) criteria, presence of anxiety and/or depression, and self-reported musculoskeletal disorders. METHODS Participants of the Oslo-Lofoten general population cross-sectional study in 2...

About 25% of patients seen in epilepsy clinics and monitoring units who do not respond to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) have received a misdiagnosis.1-3 The eventual diagnosis for most of these patients will be psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES)1,4-a somatoform conversion disorder. It is treatable, but diagnosis, delivery of the diagnosis, and management present significant challenges. A majo...

The case notes documenting the psychological well-being of 100 survivors of torture and other forms of organised state violence were analysed retrospectively. The most common diagnoses were post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depression, and somatoform disorders. Of these, PTSD showed the strongest association with experience of torture. It is possible that PTSD has a dimensional natur...

The massive traumatization of World War I combat soldiers led to an unprecedented incidence of somatoform dissociative disorders and symptoms, usually diagnosed as hysterical disorders during the war years. Following a brief overview of the scope of the suffering during this Great War, attention is given to British army psychiatrist Charles S. Myers’ (1940) observations of the alternation betwe...

Unless the patient has reasons for ‘malingering’ – the symptoms are simulated for compensation or litigation motives – pain is always indicative of some degree of dysfunction. In most instances, the dysfunction is physical. Sometimes, however, the pain is devoid of any organic basis. If the patient has an unconscious belief in the reality of the symptoms, a psychogenic disorder is likely. The p...