Loneliness in patients with somatic symptom disorder

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Medical Sociology

Background:

• Loneliness is a common experience for patients with somatoform disorders, often leading to feelings of social rejection.
• Social support is recognized as a crucial factor in mitigating loneliness.
• Somatic Symptom Disorder (SSD) is a condition where patients experience significant distress related to physical symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare levels of loneliness and perceptions of social support between patients with SSD and healthy controls.
• To investigate the relationship between loneliness and the severity of somatic symptoms in patients with SSD.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study design was employed.
• Seventy-five patients diagnosed with SSD were compared to 112 healthy controls.
• Standardized questionnaires were used to assess loneliness, social support, and somatic symptoms.

Main Results:

• Patients with SSD reported significantly higher levels of loneliness compared to healthy controls.
• The evaluation of social support was more negative among patients with SSD.
• A significant positive correlation was found between loneliness and the degree of experienced somatic symptoms.

Conclusions:

• Patients with SSD experience heightened loneliness and diminished social support.
• Loneliness is positively associated with somatic symptom severity in individuals with SSD.
• These findings suggest potential therapeutic targets for managing SSD, focusing on social support and loneliness reduction.