Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder is a psychiatric condition in which the individuals complain about having a physical disorder that does not have any evidence of existing in organic pathology. Even if, a medical condition is present, the complaints are usually far more severe in nature than the actual disorder. The complaints of these individuals are persistent for at least six months and no pathological evidence can be attributed to the disabilities described by them.

The complaints or disabilities in Undifferentiated Somatoform disorder occur without any evidence of physical pathology. The complaints of patients can involve a number of symptoms such as paralysis, blindness, mutism, seizures, vomiting, dizziness, fatigue, pain in different parts of the body, fever, sexual dysfunction, gastrointestinal problems etc. Despite the wide range of complaints, the actual disease or disability cannot be diagnosed. It can be said that the physical manifestation of the symptoms is a representation of a more deep rooted mental problem that needs to be addressed. Most of the complaints and symptoms usually worsen when the individual is under extreme stress or is faced with a difficult situation. Individuals with this disorder experience problems functioning in their daily lives on account of the ‘physical symptoms’ experienced by them.

Another striking aspect of this disorder is that these individuals do not complain about physical ailments in order to deceive others or derive pleasure in visiting hospitals. But they earnestly believe that they are unwell or that something is wrong with their health. For instance, if a person complains of having come down with malaria, he/she may have all the symptoms of the disorder such as high fever, chills, sweat, weight loss etc. but there is no organic evidence for the disease once all the tests have been conducted.

Symptoms of Undifferentiated Somatoform Disorder:

The symptoms of this disorder vary widely from individual to individual.

The most common symptoms include pain, fatigue, loss of appetite and gastrointestinal problems, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, sexual dysfunctions etc.

No physical symptom can be found for the complaints.

The physical complaints last for long periods of time.

Patients complain of several problems over a period of time.

No physical symptom can be found for the complaints.

The problems persist even after the patient has been told that no medical problems exist.

Causes:

The exact causes for this disorder are not clear. Some studies indicate that family problems in childhood can be one of the primary factors leading to the development of this disorder. Stress and depression can also contribute to the development of Undifferentiated Somatoform disorder. It has also been noted that individuals who are oversensitive to unnecessary worry are at high risk of developing it.