Somatic Symptom Disorder

My Flight Surgeon

My Flight Surgeon

Sr. Aviation Medical Examiner
Somatic Symptom Disorder is a new diagnosis defined by the American Psychiatric Association. Approximately 1/3 of people could be diagnosed with this if they complain to their doctor. The diagnostic criteria are "report a single symptom that is distressing or disruptive to daily life for at least 6 months along with at least one of the following:
a) disproportionate, persistent thoughts about the seriousness of their symptoms
b) persistently high level of anxiety about health or symptoms
c) devoting excessive time and energy to the symptoms or health condition"

This will be a real plus for the drug companies. Expect to see TV ads for Somatic Symptom Disorder and it's treatment with either antianxiety medications or sleeping medications.

For the pilot, this is a psychiatric diagnosis - need I say more. It will lead to the FAA asking for medical records, psychiatric evaluations (which may be required yearly), Special Issuance medical certificates and possible denials.

BEWARE!!!!!!
 
Geeeze. Finding a problem for a solution. This is the far end of one metric, the other end - pilots NOT seeing a doctor when they really should." Hmmm. Have chest pain. Nahhhhh. I've got a medical coming up".
 
Should probably limit our use if WebMD. I don't think it's possible to use that website and not think that you have every disease listed.
 
My Flight Surgeon said:
Somatic Symptom Disorder is a new diagnosis defined by the American Psychiatric Association. Approximately 1/3 of people could be diagnosed with this if they complain to their doctor. The diagnostic criteria are "report a single symptom that is distressing or disruptive to daily life for at least 6 months along with at least one of the following:
a) disproportionate, persistent thoughts about the seriousness of their symptoms
b) persistently high level of anxiety about health or symptoms
c) devoting excessive time and energy to the symptoms or health condition"

This will be a real plus for the drug companies. Expect to see TV ads for Somatic Symptom Disorder and it's treatment with either antianxiety medications or sleeping medications.

For the pilot, this is a psychiatric diagnosis - need I say more. It will lead to the FAA asking for medical records, psychiatric evaluations (which may be required yearly), Special Issuance medical certificates and possible denials.

BEWARE!!!!!!
Click to expand...

Doc, I work in an inpatient psychiatric unit. Most notably in the psychotic court ordered unit. I'm perplexed by this so called "new" disorder. As we already treat manic or psychotic patients who present with some somatic complications. Like feeling that bugs are crawling on them. Pseudo seizures, and practically anything else their fractured minds can form and obsess about.

Again those with an OCD, anxiety disorder, hypochondria, bi-ploar, schizophrenia or psychosis can all have secondary somatic symptoms or a full blown somatoform disorder. Basically I'm saying based on what I see daily that this isn't anything new, Somatoform disorders have been around forever. Is this perhaps a new money grab for the pharmaceutical industry, lipstick on a pig maybe?
 
May be one of those things like a 15 years ago when everyone had carpal tunnel syndrome and thyroid issues.

But only a select few actually did but it became a self-diagnosing bonanza.
 
I agree, but this is going to a more overused diagnosis than fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. The drug companies are going to be all over this. The issue for pilots will be the medications wil be DQ.
 
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