Abstract

PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATION OF SOMATIC SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSIVE DISORDER: MAJOR CONCERN FOR CONSULTATION IN THE OUTPATIENT PSYCHIATRIC PRACTICE

Dr. Prashant Kumar Sharma*

ABSTRACT

Somatic symptoms account for over half of all primary care visits and are often medically unexplained as well as chronic or recurrent. Unexplained, persistent, or multiple somatic symptoms are frequently a marker for an underlying depressive disorder. Depression is often unrecognized and hence not treated due to occurrence of somatic symptoms. Proper identification of depression relevant somatic symptoms is important for accurate diagnosis of depression and development of treatment strategies. The presence of somatic symptoms may worsen patient‟s prognosis. When somatic and psychological symptoms coexist, treatment of both is necessary to optimize clinical outcomes. The objective of this study was to characterize the relationship between somatic symptoms and depression in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Keywords: Somatic symptoms, major depressive disorder (MDD).