Somatization - A debilitating syndrome in primary care

Somatization is a significant problem for clinical medicine. Unlike somatiz ation disorder which is relatively rare, abridged somatization, a less seve re form of somatization, is prevalent in primary care clinics. The authors examined the clinical status and functioning of patients diagnosed with a d epression or anxiety disorder comorbid with abridged somatization and compa red them with patients diagnosed with a depression or anxiety disorder alon e. The authors examined severity of physical functioning and psychopatholog y in relation to diagnostic status. Patients diagnosed with both abridged s omatization and a depression or anxiety disorder were more physically impai red and more anxious than those diagnosed with a depression or anxiety diso rder alone. The results suggest that abridged somatization frequently coexi sts with depression and anxiety and thus complicates the presentation of th ese disorders.