Approaches to the Treatment of Somatoform Disorders in Internal Medicine

Abstract

This chapter discusses the prevalence of somatoform disorders and their treatment approaches in internal medical settings. The subjects of this study were 424 new outpatients in 1997 on our department. In the diagnosis distribution by Axis I of DSM-IV, eating disorders were the largest in number (19.4%), followed by somatoform disorders (18.2%). The number of somatoform disorder patients was 77 (male 28, female 49). In somatoform disorders, somatoform disorder not otherwise specified (NOS) was seen most often (32.5%), followed by pain disorder (22.1%), conversion disorder (19.5%), hypochondriasis (14.3%), and undifferentiated somatoform disorder (11.7%). The treatment for somatoform disorders included mainly supportive psychotherapy and pharmacological treatment. Other therapies included autogenic training and behavior therapy. The pharmacological treatments for somatoform disorders were mainly antianxiety drugs, partial antidepressants, and sleep inducers. In the management of somatoform disorders, both physiological and psychological approaches should be considered. Medication such as antianxiety drugs may be effective in alleviating patients’ symptoms. In addition, a psychotherapeutic approach might be necessary to resolve their complaints.