A main difference between somatic symptom disorder and illness anxiety disorder is
A)somatic symptom disorder has a real medical basis and illness anxiety disorder does not.
B)somatic symptom disorder is heritable and illness anxiety is not.
C)somatic symptom disorder is associated with physical exacerbation of real symptoms, whereas illness anxiety disorder is associated with distorted beliefs about normal bodily function.
D)none; the two terms refer to the same disorder in DSM-5.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Somatic symptom disorder is characterized by physical symptoms that cause significant distress or impairment and have no medical explanation, while illness anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive fear or anxiety about having or developing a serious illness, despite low likelihood of actually having one. Therefore, somatic symptom disorder is associated with physical exacerbation of real symptoms, whereas illness anxiety disorder is associated with distorted beliefs about normal bodily function.

A Main Difference Between Somatic Symptom Disorder and Illness Anxiety