At Palm Coast treatment solutions, we have had a team of very committed individuals who have been able to help people recover their lives, which they have lost because of somatic symptom disorder and anxiety disorders related to health. You need not go it alone when you have experienced prolonged physical symptoms that fail to act in the manner expected of them and are starting to play a role in the generation of an unreasonable worry or preoccupation about the health condition.
What is Somatic Symptom Disorder?
The somatic symptom disorder is a condition whereby the physically caused symptoms are sustained, one or more in number and cause a great deal of distress or difficulties in day-to-day living. The symptom is only part of the problem with SSD as too many thoughts, too much concern with health or symptoms, and spending too much time and energy on the symptoms or health problems are all part of the problem.
Even though the serious sickness has been proven out or the symptoms are not in proportion to the medical outcomes, the agony is real and the pain is legitimate. We are conscious of the physical and psychological aspects of the SSD at the Palm Coast Treatment Solutions and provide all-around services.
Why Continuing Care Matters
The process of recovery does not stop after the rehab. After treatment, life is usually full of triggers, stressors, and unforeseen difficulties. A lack of support also becomes a great danger of relapse. That is why continuing care is such an important component of the healing process.
We aid clients at the Palm Coast Treatment Solutions in Melbourne, FL to:
- Improve coping skills during treatment.
- Be accountable by following up.
- Get continuous mental as well as emotional care.
- Stay in touch with a recovery community.
This preventive care promotes sustainable and healthy lifestyles and long-term healing.
Causes & Risk Factors
What causes SSD remains obscure; however, according to Palm Coast Treatment Solutions and other sources, several factors cause it:
- Genetic or biological predisposition, i.e., predisposition to being more sensitive to the body or senses to pain.
- Genetic or environmental factors in the family, such as the behavior modeling of illness.
- Such character attributes of people, such as being easily negatively oriented or incapable of managing their emotions and consequently the physical symptoms, are given too much attention rather than trying to manage their emotional issues.
- Psychological or environmental reasons: Life experience traumatic or stressful, illness or medical condition of either of his or her family, or anxiety or depression.
This background information would help our team at Palm Coast Treatment Solutions to revise their treatment plans in such a way that they not only treat the manifestation but also the psychology of the manifestation of said conditions.
Treatment Approach at Palm Coast Treatment Solutions
Here, at Palm Coast Treatment Solutions, we are trying to assist you in reducing the amount of your distress that comes as a result of the symptoms and increase your capacities to at least some degree of daily functioning. We will treat them in the following manner:
1. Psychotherapy -
It is seen to be psychotherapy, and it has been very effective in the case of SSD in the form of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). It can help you challenge and change the beliefs and expectations about physical symptoms, reduce health anxiety, impart coping skills, reduce avoidance behaviours and increase functioning.
2. Drugs -
You can also introduce antidepressants in other cases, especially when you are depressed too or you are developing pains. Your prescription will be strictly observed.
3. Lifestyle/self-help interventions -
We recommend such behaviors as stress management (e.g. progressive muscle relaxation), gradual exercise, staying socially and occupationally active (without focusing on symptoms), not overusing medical care/tests, and involving all caregivers in drawing up a course of action.
4. Holistic nursing and therapy -
Your care in Palm Coast treatment solutions puts care professionals and medical and wellness care together to come up with an integrated course of care as opposed to fragmented care.
When you are being tormented by persistent physical illnesses and are too worried about the progression of your health, then you definitely need to put an end to the process. Call Palm Coast Treatment Solutions today and have a similar confidential consultation and begin the journey of relieving and leading a better life. Our team is also well-experienced, and it is ready to coach you.
Take the Next Step
Learn to leave your life behind to live with constant body pains and anxiety. The Palm Coast Treatment Solutions specialization is to help the somatic symptom disorder victims resume their functioning, to gain confidence, and to revert to their regular functioning.
Give us a call today to set a time on which to have your first assessment. We would like to take you on a path towards a recovery experience because you are supposed to live without constantly feeling the symptoms and being worried about them.
Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) FAQs
How do you treat somatic symptom disorder?
Treatment primarily involves psychotherapy, most often Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to help the individual change how they think and behave in response to their physical symptoms. This is often combined with regular, consistent visits to a trusted primary care provider to monitor symptoms and avoid unnecessary testing.
How to help someone with SSD?
The best way to help is to validate their suffering (acknowledge that their symptoms and distress are real) while gently encouraging professional help. Support them in maintaining regular appointments with one consistent provider, following their treatment plan, and focusing on improving daily function and coping skills rather than solely seeking a medical “cure.”
How to relieve somatic symptoms?
Relief is often found through a combination of psychological and self-care strategies. These include:
- Learning stress management and relaxation techniques (like deep breathing or progressive muscle relaxation).
- Graded physical activity (like walking or yoga) to improve physical function.
- Using CBT skills to manage anxious thoughts about the symptoms.
- For specific symptoms like chronic pain, appropriate pain medication may be used under a doctor’s guidance.
What is the most effective treatment to date for somatic symptom disorder?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is considered the most effective evidence-based treatment for SSD. It helps patients re-examine disproportionate beliefs about their symptoms, reduce their preoccupation with illness, and learn better ways to cope with physical sensations and stress.
How does SSD differ from anxiety?
While high anxiety is a key feature of SSD, the core difference is the central focus of the distress:
- Anxiety Disorders (like GAD or Panic Disorder) typically focus on worries about future events, panic attacks, or specific feared situations.
- Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) involves disproportionate and excessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related to physical symptoms themselves (e.g., pain, fatigue, shortness of breath), which may or may not have a medical explanation.
What medication is used for somatic symptoms?
There are no medications approved specifically to treat SSD itself. However, antidepressant medications, particularly Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) (like fluoxetine or sertraline) and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs), are often used to treat co-occurring depression, anxiety, or pain that commonly happens with SSD.
