| Prevalence |
About 5–7% of the general population is estimated to have somatic symptom disorder (SSD). SSD is a serious problem in medical settings; patients with this disorder use at least three times as many outpatient medical services and cost at least nine times more to treat than people who do not have this disorder (Hollifield et al., 1999). |
| Comorbidity |
People with SSD often have other psychological disorders, most frequently an anxiety disorder (particularly panic disorder) or depression. Patients with SSD who take benzodiazepines or narcotics for relief of bodily symptoms are at increased risk for developing a substance-related disorder (Holder-Perkins & Wise, 2001). |
| Onset |
Initial symptoms of SSD can emerge any time between childhood and old age. |
| Course |
Symptoms may fluctuate in location or in intensity (so that the criteria for SSD are no longer met), but symptoms usually never completely disappear. Patients with SSD often take many medications and receive numerous medical tests and diagnoses (Holder-Perkins & Wise, 2001), and they can be extremely sensitive to medication side effects. |
| Gender Differences |
Women are more likely to have this disorder, or at least are more likely to report bodily symptoms than are men. |
| Cultural Differences |
The specific symptoms of patients with SSD vary across cultures, and some ethnic groups have a higher prevalence of this disorder than others. |
| Source: Unless otherwise noted, the source is American Psychiatric Association, 2013. |