Concepts and Treatment Strategies for Somatic Symptom Disorder and Relative Disorders

Somatic Symptom Disorder is a specific disorder that is extensively defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth edition (DSM-5). Although the diagnostic criteria for somatic symptom disorder has archived breakaway from mind-body dualism and simplification for physicians, it remains vague and universally unapplicable. Moreover, despite the DSM-5 removing etiology in diagnosis, there is still a need to determine the etiology for individualized patient treatment. In particular, patients with somatic symptom disorder and relative disorders have psychological pathologies, such as somatization and anxiety about illness, all of which require psychiatric treatment. However, these patients initially visit physicians, not psychiatrists, since their symptoms are somatic, and they are anxious about the possibility of a physical disease. As such, supportive attitude and continuous treatment are important, as they can be performed even without a psychiatric consultation. Furthermore, while the effectiveness of pharmacotherapy is limited for these disorders, psychotherapy has the possibility to bring about a fundamental resolution. Particularly, cognitive behavior therapy or psychoanalytic psychotherapy has been found to be effective; however, they require high motivation and take up much time from the patients. Fortunately, the Morita therapy is especially effective for patients who pay excessive attention to somatic symptoms or are hypochondriacal, which is applicable for outpatients using a comparatively short interview that can even be performed in nonpsychiatric clinical settings.