Somatic Symptom Illnesses
Somatic Symptom Illnesses ( 30 Questions)
A nurse is providing care for several clients with somatic symptom illnesses. Which of the following clients is most likely to have illness anxiety disorder?
Altered motor functions and sensory symptoms are more indicative of conversion disorder rather than illness anxiety disorder. Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms that cannot be medically explained, which contrasts with the preoccupation with serious illness seen in illness anxiety disorder.
Intentionally producing physical symptoms for attention aligns with factitious disorder, where individuals feign or induce symptoms to assume the sick role. This behavior does not align with the diagnostic criteria for illness anxiety disorder.
This choice correctly identifies the key characteristic of illness anxiety disorder, which involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite minimal or no symptoms. This preoccupation causes distress and often leads the individual to seek medical reassurance repeatedly.
Experiencing chronic physical symptoms with excessive responses might be seen in somatic symptom disorder, where the distress and impairment caused by the symptoms are disproportionate. However, this choice does not specifically address the preoccupation with serious illness that defines illness anxiety disorder.
Choice A rationale:
Altered motor functions and sensory symptoms are more indicative of conversion disorder rather than illness anxiety disorder. Conversion disorder involves neurological symptoms that cannot be medically explained, which contrasts with the preoccupation with serious illness seen in illness anxiety disorder.
Choice B rationale:
Intentionally producing physical symptoms for attention aligns with factitious disorder, where individuals feign or induce symptoms to assume the sick role. This behavior does not align with the diagnostic criteria for illness anxiety disorder.
Choice C rationale:
This choice correctly identifies the key characteristic of illness anxiety disorder, which involves excessive worry about having a serious illness despite minimal or no symptoms. This preoccupation causes distress and often leads the individual to seek medical reassurance repeatedly.
Choice D rationale:
Experiencing chronic physical symptoms with excessive responses might be seen in somatic symptom disorder, where the distress and impairment caused by the symptoms are disproportionate. However, this choice does not specifically address the preoccupation with serious illness that defines illness anxiety disorder.