Abstract
Because of the high prevalence and association of somatic symptoms in depression, a holistic treatment plan that also targets the associated somatic symptoms can be the cornerstone for such patients. In this paper, we present the case of a 53-year-old male physician with depression associated with the somatic symptoms of dysphagia. The initial failure in treating his swallowing defect led to the deterioration in his condition. Moreover, his unique history, complicated by multifactorial life stressors, also raises the attention that there are a variety of presentations of depression.
Highlights
Depression has always been a difficult topic because of its negative connotation of weakness or submission in our societies
Because of the high prevalence and association of somatic symptoms in depression, a holistic treatment plan that targets the associated somatic symptoms can be the cornerstone for such patients
We present the case of a 53-year-old male physician with depression associated with the somatic symptoms of dysphagia
Summary
Depression has always been a difficult topic because of its negative connotation of weakness or submission in our societies. There are studies stating that depressive people from different cultural backgrounds can present distinct somatic symptoms. After first ruling out anatomical and physiological causes of dysphagia, he underwent psychiatric treatment for over 21 days but showed little to no improvement and was losing weight. His dysphagia worsened to the point where he had to utilize a feeding tube and was frequently spitting out saliva. He identified two previous big stressors as his history of the break-up of two arranged engagements and his residency He stayed in the United States for 25 years, while the rest of his family stayed in Syria. He had gained 10 pounds and was able to walk and exercise
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