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Types
Somatic symptom disorders are a group of disorders, all of which fit the definition of physical symptoms similar to those observed in physical disease or injury for which there is no identifiable physical cause. As such, they are a diagnosis of exclusion. They used to be recognized as Somatoform disorders in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders of the American Psychiatric Association. The following were conditions under the term Somatoform Disorders: In the newest version of DSM-5 (2013) somatic symptom disorders are recognized under the term Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders:
 * Conversion disorder: A somatic symptom disorder involving the actual loss of bodily function such as blindness, paralysis, and numbness due to excessive anxiety
 * Somatization Disorder
 * Hypochondriasis
 * Body dysmorphic disorder: wherein the afflicted individual is concerned with body image, and is manifested as excessive concern about and preoccupation with a perceived defect of their physical appearance.
 * Pain disorder
 * Undifferentiated somatic symptom disorder – only one unexplained symptom is required for at least 6 months.
 * Somatic Symptom Disorder: Will take over many of what was formally known as Somatization Disorders, and Hypochondriasis
 * Factitious Disorder: Can be either imposed on ones self, or to someone else (Formally known as Factitious Disorder by proxy).
 * Conversion disorder

Included among these disorders are false pregnancy, psychogenic urinary retention, and mass psychogenic illness (so-called mass hysteria).
 * Illness anxiety disorder: A somatic symptom disorder involving persistent and excessive worry about developing a serious illness. This disorder has recently gone under review and has been altered into three different classifications.
 * Somatoform disorder Not Otherwise Specified (NOS)

The ICD-10 classifies conversion disorder as a dissociative disorder.

Somatization disorder as a mental disorder was recognized in the DSM-IV-TR classification system, but in the latest version DSM-5, it was combined with undifferentiated somatoform disorder to become somatic symptom disorder, a diagnosis which no longer requires a specific number of somatic symptoms. Still, ICD-10, the latest version of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, still includes somatization syndrome.

Psychotherapy, more specifically, Cognitive Behavioral therapy most widely used form of treatment for Somatic symptom disorder. In 2016, a randomized 12-week study suggested steady and significant improvement in health anxiety measures with cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) compared to the control group.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help in some of the following ways:
 * Learn to reduce stress
 * Learn to cope with physical symptoms
 * Learn to deal with depression and other psychological issues
 * Improve quality of life
 * Reduce preoccupation with symptom

Antidepressant medication has also been used to treat some of the symptoms of depression and anxiety that are common among people who have somatic symptom disorder. Medications will not cure somatic symptom disorder, but can help the treatment process when combined with cognitive behavioral therapy.