Clinical Practice Guideline: Psychotherapies for Somatoform Disorders

Somatoform disorders are characterized by the chronic presence of physical symptoms, which are not explained by any physical disease. All somatoform disorder subtypes share one common feature; predominance and persistence of unexplained somatic symptoms associated with significant distress and impairment. The International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10) describes medically unexplained symptoms, with significant psychological distress as “somatoform disorders” [Table 1].[1] Patients with somatoform disorders often consult multiple physicians/specialists. Limited understanding of the somatoform disorder and its management among general physicians often results in repeated unnecessary investigations and polypharmacy. Table 1 Somatoform disorders