Somatic Symptom & Factitious Disorders

Key points

• Somatic symptom disorder: persistent physical symptoms without adequate medical explanation, causing distress — symptoms not intentionally produced.
• Somatoform autonomic dysfunction: symptoms attributed to organ system under autonomic control (CV, GI, respiratory).
• Factitious disorder (Munchausen's): symptoms deliberately feigned/produced without external incentive (internal need to be sick).
• Malingering: deliberate feigning FOR external gain (benefits, avoiding work/prison) — not a psychiatric disorder.
• Management: regular single-clinician reviews, avoid unnecessary investigations, treat comorbid anxiety/depression.

Decision points in this pathway

• Symptoms deliberately produced?

The full step-by-step algorithm, including what to do at each branch, opens in the app for approved members.