Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) treatment

Struggling with persistent physical symptoms and overwhelming health concerns? YMM offers personalised treatment for somatic symptom disorder to help you regain control and improve your quality of life.

Take the first step towards managing your symptoms – book your free initial consultation today.

SSD, also referred to as ‘somatisation disorder’ or ‘somatoform disorder’, is a chronic mental health condition that’s characterised by excessive levels of distress in response to one or several bodily symptoms. These can include pain and lethargy and may involve one or more organs or systems in your body.

SSD patients commonly have co-existing mental health disorders, including depression (up to 60% patients), anxiety disorders (up to 50%), personality disorders (up to 50%) or alcohol and substance misuse. SSD is common, representing the most prevalent disorder in general practice. In primary care, up to 30% of visits from patients may be with unexplained medical symptoms.

The physical complaints that you may experience if you have SSD can last for years, and can significantly disrupt your life. A diagnosis of SSD will be given if the excess worry over your physical health is having an adverse effect on other aspects of your life. These preoccupying thoughts, feelings and behaviours relating to your health will be severe enough to cause work or relationship difficulties.

Types of SSD

There are different kinds of related disorders which may be present if you have SSD, including:

Health anxiety – people with health anxiety share many of the same signs and symptoms as someone with SDD. Similar preoccupations with physical health are involved, where even minor health complaints can be viewed as a serious medical problem.

Examples include believing a general headache is a sign of a brain tumour, with self-diagnosis, searching online around your symptoms often exaggerating such distress instead of helping the cause.

Conversion disorder – if symptoms of SSD include persistent worries over neurological problems such as hearing loss, fatigue or general weakness, then conversion disorder is a diagnosis which may be given when such symptoms can’t be linked to a clear medical cause.

What are the signs and symptoms of SSD?

The relationship between the mind and the body is complex and not fully understood, but it’s believed that mental health conditions such as stress, anxiety or depression may contribute to the physical pain and others symptoms that you may feel with SSD.

The medically unexplained symptoms of SSD can happen over a prolonged period of time, in which extreme emotional distress is often experienced through physical symptoms – a phenomenon that’s known as ‘somatisation’. You may have problems functioning in everyday life as a result of these perceived physical symptoms, although the main indicator that you have SSD is that your reaction to these symptoms will often be disproportionate.

This excessive reaction can lead to you frequently seeking medical care for your complaints and believing that your symptoms may indicate a serious condition, even though many may already have been ruled out. Persistent preoccupation with your symptoms can leave you worrying about your health to the extent that it’s hard to focus on other aspects of your life such as your relationships and career.

Treatment for SSD at Your Mind Matter

Your Mind Matter has been helping to treat people with SSD for many years. We know that everyone’s situation is different, which is why we ensure that you receive a treatment plan that’s tailored to your individual needs.

The type and length of SSD treatment is dependent on your circumstances and the severity of your condition. Once you’ve discussed options for treatment, fully understood how SSD is impacting on your life, and worked out what you want your treatment goals to be, you can be treated as an outpatient, which means that you will visit Your Mind Matter for hourly sessions with your consultant, psychologist or therapist at a convenient time.

If your condition is particularly severe, a structured treatment approach, which can include staying at one of our Your Mind Matter hospitals for the duration of your treatment, may be recommended. Inpatient treatment allows you to take part in a psychological group programme as well as regular sessions with your consultant, while day care packages are also available.

In terms of the specific mental health treatment options that are used to treat SSD, psychotherapy, also known as ‘talking therapy’, is believed to be particularly helpful when trying to improve daily functioning and the associated symptoms of SSD.

Evidence-based talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), can help relieve the physical symptoms of SSD by addressing the psychological distress that often underpins them. CBT can also support people with co-occurring mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. Another therapy that can be used to treat SSD is integrative therapy, because this looks at the family history of the person with SSD to see whether health worries are something that the person has been exposed to within their family and upbringing. Additionally, as SSD is increasingly understood to involve fear-based responses, similar to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) is also recognised as an effective treatment for this condition.

Psychotherapeutic treatment for SSD

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

CBT is a commonly used talking therapy for SSD. It’s an action-based approach that helps you to understand the condition further, as well as the reasons behind why you might be experiencing the emotional and physical problems that are associated with it.

Our experienced therapists will help you learn techniques that are geared towards more positive thought processes in relation to your condition, which may include:

  • Adapting your extreme beliefs about your health and physical symptoms
  • Learning how to reduce stress
  • Coping techniques for when you experience physical symptoms
  • Reducing preoccupation with your symptoms
  • Improving your ability to function daily in various situations
  • Addressing stress, anxiety and depression which may be contributing to symptoms of SSD

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is accepted as an additional treatment to CBT for reducing the symptoms of SSD. This involves elements of CBT, with the addition of psychological methods that can teach you to be present in the moment, as opposed to dwelling on what may or may not happen in the future.

Using breathing and meditation techniques, you’ll begin to learn how to clear your mind of negative thoughts which may be contributing to your health anxiety, as well as associated symptoms of depression.

Medication for SSD

Medication can be used alongside therapy for SSD. This can be particularly effective if you’re experiencing symptoms of health anxiety or depression that are commonly associated with the condition.

It’s important to remember that it can take several weeks to notice improvement in symptoms when you’re taking medication such as antidepressants.

Understanding and treating stress

Feeling overwhelmed by stress? Your Mind Matter is here to help you regain control with personalised treatment plans designed to reduce your stress and improve your quality of life.

Take control of your stress today – book your free consultation with our experts.

We know that everyone’s response to stress is different. You may have been through challenging times which inevitably feel like too much to deal with by yourself. Or you may feel that you’re struggling to process even the most minor situations, allowing them to stand in your way.

We understand that living with stress can be difficult. It can be draining, weakening your ability to manage the pressures of daily life. Your responsibilities can become too much to cope with, which can lead to you feeling worn down by relationships, work and even hobbies you used to enjoy. If you feel like this, Your Mind Matter can help you to feel better and start to make the most of life again.

With our support, you can turn things around. Whatever your situation, accessing the right treatment with Your Mind Matter can make a significant difference to the way you’re feeling and address your problem stress. Rather than feeling like you’re merely getting through the day, you deserve to feel like you can handle and take more pleasure from life.

Our experts know how to treat stress in a way that addresses your symptoms and gives you the building blocks for a happier future. Your recovery journey starts as soon as you contact us, and we’ll work with you to deliver our effective, proven programmes.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): symptoms, causes and treatment

Struggling with seasonal depression? Our experienced specialists are here to help you manage the symptoms of SAD and regain control of your life.

Take the first step towards brighter days with personalised SAD treatment – book your free assessment today
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), sometimes known as ‘winter depression’, is a type of depression and formally recognised mental health condition.

The symptoms of SAD, including persistent low moods, a lack of energy, and poor concentration, are typically experienced in a seasonal pattern, emerging in the winter months when people are exposed to less natural daylight, and decreasing in spring and summer.

The majority of people with SAD live in the northern and southern hemispheres (places that experience longer hours of darkness during winter). SAD is much less common in people living near the equator, where daylight hours are reliably long and bright.

SAD treatment

To be diagnosed with SAD, your symptoms of depression will tend to resurface on an annual basis, coinciding with the winter months and lessen when spring returns. For people who are suffering with SAD, know that there are treatment options available that can reduce your symptoms and and help you to live your life the way you want to, no matter the time of year.

Light therapy using lightboxes

Light therapy can be a very effective treatment for SAD, with most people seeing an improvement of their symptoms within the first week. Lightboxes are powerful lamps that replicate natural light. High quality lightboxes are recommended as they allow people to spend a short amount of time (30 minutes) using them. However, some people prefer ‘lower lux’ lightboxes, as these can be positioned on the corner of their desks at work. Light therapy imitates sunlight, which helps to trigger the release of serotonin in the brain, helping to improve your mood. Some people also find dawn simulators to be an effective treatment of SAD. Essentially these are light-based alarm clocks that have a timer that you adjust before you go to sleep. The light in a dawn simulator mimics the morning sunrise, aiding your body clock and ensuring a healthier sleep pattern. Guidance for buying lightboxes, including any risks involved, can be found on the seasonal affective disorder and depression (SADA) website.

Talking therapies

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is also known to be helpful in alleviating winter depression and possibly preventing it from re-emerging in the future. CBT identifies the link between our thoughts, behaviour and mood. Therapy involves helping people to become more aware of their negative thought patterns, which can lead to unhealthy behaviours and emotions. It also helps people to adjust any underlying beliefs they may have, which could be maintaining their unhealthy thinking patterns and behaviours. Teaching people to challenge their negative thoughts and modify their behaviour, can lead to a significant improvement in mood.

Medication

Antidepressants can be prescribed by a psychiatrist – make sure you speak to your doctor AT SRI NARAYANI HOSPITAL

Selective mutism treatment

Is selective mutism affecting your child’s ability to communicate? Our expert therapists provide evidence-based treatment to help children and adults overcome selective mutism in a supportive environment.

Start your child’s journey to more confident communication – book your free initial assessment today.

Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder that causes a person to be unable to speak in certain social situations due to the intensity of panic and anxiety symptoms that this causes. This condition is similar to extreme examples of stage fright, where it feels like your body is ‘frozen’ in motion.

Selective mutism usually starts during childhood and affects around 1 in 140 young children. Factors that may influence the development of selective mutism include:

  • Being a child learning a second language, as confidence in their speech may be reduced
  • Presence of a speech and language impairment
  • Anxiety (either personally, or a family history of anxiety)
  • Family history of shyness or selective mutism
  • Reinforcement of mutism by increased attention and affection

Selective mutism can occur alongside autism, but there’s no evidence to suggest that one causes the other.

Treatment for selective mutism

If you believe that your child may have selective mutism, it’s important that you get help and support from mental health professionals as soon as possible. Early diagnosis and mental health treatment for the disorder can increase the chances of your child overcoming or vastly improving related symptoms.

If you’re an adult with selective mutism, treatment can still be effective, although the process may take longer due to the fact that your behaviours may have become deep-seated over time.

If your child has a co-existing mental health condition alongside selective mutism, such as depression or an anxiety disorder, or a learning disability that affects their ability to communicate, then this may affect how long or complex the treatment programme will be.

Treatment options at Your Mind Matter focus on reducing associated anxiety symptoms surrounding speaking in certain situations, as opposed to simply focusing on the speech itself. Whether triggering scenarios are found during nursery, school, work or social settings, the aim of talking and behavioural therapies will be a progressive, step-by-step process to gradually reduce the pressure to speak, which is at the core of symptoms of selective mutism.

Ensuring that your child’s self-confidence is built up over time and teaching them coping mechanisms and techniques can ultimately lead to successful conversations in group situations and the ability to speak freely to all manner of people within a variety of settings.

In order to reach this stage, therapies used to treat selective mutism in both children and adults include:

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

Among the most effective methods of treating selective mutism is CBT.

This action-based and problem-solving talking therapy is carried out by highly trained therapists, where you or your older child can benefit from further understanding of the disorder and anxiety in general. The therapist will provide a range of techniques for managing anxiety during triggering situations, focusing on how negative thoughts and feelings may be contributing to anxiety symptoms.

Younger children can still benefit from CBT, although the focus will be less on detailed understanding of anxiety, and more about assessing their general wellbeing.

Stimulus fading

The child may talk at ease with someone, such as a parent. In stimulus fading, another person is introduced to the situation. Then, as they become included in talking, the parent withdraws and talking continues.

Desensitisation

This method attempts to reduce the fear of certain people hearing the sound of you or your child’s voice.

Many people with social anxiety and selective mutism will feel more comfortable through non-vocal means of communication, such as instant messaging or emailing, which can be used before increased exposure. Exchange of voice recordings and voicemail messages builds to more direct forms of communication such as telephone or video conversations.

Shaping

With two-way communication among people other than close friends and family being the desired goal, shaping uses techniques which steadily move towards this through activities such as reading aloud or taking part in interactive reading games. This is before graduating to face-to-face conversations when ready, and is particularly useful for treating young children with the condition as an entertaining form of engagement.

Graded exposure

This involves gradual exposure to scenarios which cause increasing levels of anxiety. Increasing a child’s exposure to these scenarios can create positive reinforcement from positive experiences.

Positive reinforcement

Selective mutism usually stems from your child associating talking with a negative experience. In order to reinforce that all forms of communication can be acceptable, responding positively to any type of communication can help your child learn to feel less pressure to speak and not have to feel relief every time such a moment passes.