Help somatization disorder, chronic pain

[Irrumi]

If anyone has been diagnosed with the somatization disorder (F45) and successfully treated (or not), please share your experience with me.

I would like to read about similar experiences in others.

I only suspect myself of having it. I thought it was a form of depression, but not long ago I found this concept.
I have had constant headaches for 3 years. My whole head hurts, my eyes, the bridge of my nose, and my jaw. But I still hoped it was a physical illness. The antidepressants didn't help me. I don't have money for psychotherapy and the short one I've been on has been to no avail. I have little information about what's going on with me. I've been told it's supposed to help me in some way. But in reality, I don't have any indulgences from life. I don't get more attention, I don't get pity, I have no reason not to learn or not to be social. I just pretend to be a normal person and then sob at night because I don't know what I'm doing with my life. Even if I feel horribly bad, I can't just drop everything. And I keep this cycle going. I mean it looks stupid, I've been in pain for 3 years and I still sometimes want to lay down and not get up. Or crack my own skull.

I was told that the treatment was long and that I would have to work hard. But I don't have the strength and desire for that. It's really hard for me to fight. I just want it to go away so I don't have to spend years on it.

Now I can't be a member of the chronic pain community. After all, it really is "all in my head" now.

 

[KuriGohan&Kamehameha]

I would really implore you to consider whether this is all in your head, or simply the doctors you are seeing refusing to admit that they can't identify a clear cut etiology and physical cause. Many types of chronic pain due not currently have a biomarker or reliable diagnostic test.

Have you been offered any kind of imaging (MRI, PET) or actual pain management that isn't antidepressants, for example migraine medication like sumitriptophan? Alleviating headaches that you've had for three years straight is not something you can will to go away through sheer constitution and positive thinking, some serotoninergic drugs could actually be making your headaches worse too.

If I were you I would be pushing to see if you can get some pain relief, because it sounds like the label of somatization disorder is not only causing you more emotional pain, but could actually prevent you from receiving proper attention in the future due to how people are treated when their issues are psychologized.

I think it's nearly impossible to have good mental wellbeing if your physical health isn't optimal first. I really hope you'll be able to find some relief from all of this, trying to carry on while grappling with unexplained pain takes a whole lot from someone, and you deserve to be free of suffering.

 

[TheLastFemaphrodyke]

If anyone has been diagnosed with the somatization disorder (F45) and successfully treated (or not), please share your experience with me.

I would like to read about similar experiences in others.

I only suspect myself of having it. I thought it was a form of depression, but not long ago I found this concept.
I have had constant headaches for 3 years. My whole head hurts, my eyes, the bridge of my nose, and my jaw. But I still hoped it was a physical illness. The antidepressants didn't help me. I don't have money for psychotherapy and the short one I've been on has been to no avail. I have little information about what's going on with me. I've been told it's supposed to help me in some way. But in reality, I don't have any indulgences from life. I don't get more attention, I don't get pity, I have no reason not to learn or not to be social. I just pretend to be a normal person and then sob at night because I don't know what I'm doing with my life. Even if I feel horribly bad, I can't just drop everything. And I keep this cycle going. I mean it looks stupid, I've been in pain for 3 years and I still sometimes want to lay down and not get up. Or crack my own skull.

I was told that the treatment was long and that I would have to work hard. But I don't have the strength and desire for that. It's really hard for me to fight. I just want it to go away so I don't have to spend years on it.

Now I can't be a member of the chronic pain community. After all, it really is "all in my head" now.

sounds more like chronic depression to me, "I don't have any indulgences in life", a real nasty bugger, so your life is nothing, just drudgery, absolutely no fun or self care at all? No wonder you are depressed, it is important to indulge yourself and if someone is preventing you from that self care, they need to be removed from your life. Indulgence can be something as simple as a bubble bath with lit candles and a glass of wine with nice music playing or it can be as convoluted as an entire weekend at the spa or anything in between, to each our own indulgences, what which makes us happier and more content inside and that we can afford, going into debt kinda counteracts that making us feel better stuff, so sometimes we have to make due with just the bath without the bubbles, wine or candles, sometimes it may have to be just a better quality shampoo, but you get the idea....

It also sounds like you are playing way too many others tapes in your head.....'I have no reason not to learn or not to be social'....Who put that shit into your head? You have every reason to not learn and to not be social and each and every reason is yours and each and every reason is VALID. Period. If you are not interested in something, why would you want to learn it? As for social, really, the world dictates that everyone should have at least X amount of friends to be considered normal? Are you refusing to even speak or communicate with anyone at all? No, you wrote this post, so there is some kind of social interaction, there you go, if that is all the social interaction you can tolerate, that is good, for you, if YOU are not happy with that, then work on it, if you are okay with that, then stop hearing others telling you you need more friends or need to be more socially interactive. You don't like to go out, you like to stay home, that is YOUR business, not anyone elses.

It is okay to be a home body, not everyone likes to go out. If you are missing going out, then go out, you do not need anyone to go out with, go out alone, maybe you will meet someone with similar interests and you decide to spend time together, maybe not, maybe you will find you like going out doing things alone, maybe you will find out you really do not like going out and it is so overrated than you ever realized and find you are okay being a home body.

It is okay to only study the things you want to learn, ask any doctor how to build an office building, ask any architect how to perform heart surgery.

It is okay to not have friends, not have many people in your life, to recognize everyone as only acquaintances. You do not need to have, maintain, or gain a certain number of friends or people in your life. Friends are people that we share secrets with, our true selves with, things that we may not want the outer world to see, friends are people that can see us without our masks and still like us and we still like them after they see us without our masks and we still like them after seeing them without their masks. If someone is NOT making you feel comfortable showing yourself to them without your mask, there is a reason, listen to your gut. If you are showing people your maskless self and they are not accepting of you, they are not your friend, if others are showing you their maskless self and you are not comfortable or accepting of them, you are not their friend, and THAT is okay, we do not HAVE to accept others that make us feel uncomfortable, but, neither do they. This is the reason so many people truly have only one or two friends or none at all. Stop convincing yourself that 'real' people or 'normal' people are these social butterflies that are beloved by all and actually enjoy being surrounded by others on a continual basis.

 

[Irrumi]

I would really implore you to consider whether this is all in your head, or simply the doctors you are seeing refusing to admit that they can't identify a clear cut etiology and physical cause. Many types of chronic pain due not currently have a biomarker or reliable diagnostic test.

Have you been offered any kind of imaging (MRI, PET) or actual pain management that isn't antidepressants, for example migraine medication like sumitriptophan? Alleviating headaches that you've had for three years straight is not something you can will to go away through sheer constitution and positive thinking, some serotoninergic drugs could actually be making your headaches worse too.

If I were you I would be pushing to see if you can get some pain relief, because it sounds like the label of somatization disorder is not only causing you more emotional pain, but could actually prevent you from receiving proper attention in the future due to how people are treated when their issues are psychologized.

I think it's nearly impossible to have good mental wellbeing if your physical health isn't optimal first. I really hope you'll be able to find some relief from all of this, trying to carry on while grappling with unexplained pain takes a whole lot from someone, and you deserve to be free of suffering.

I was not prescribed treatment for migraine. They say that it is a tension headache. An MRI didn't show anything, that's why the doctor told me it was psychological.

I don't know what it was before depression or pain. I agree that it is impossible to feel good with pain. Unfortunately, I don't have that much money for doctors to try more. I've found some experimental treatment options but I'm sure no one will go for it.

Thank you more for your reply. I hope I can find a way out.

sounds more like chronic depression to me, "I don't have any indulgences in life", a real nasty bugger, so your life is nothing, just drudgery, absolutely no fun or self care at all? No wonder you are depressed, it is important to indulge yourself and if someone is preventing you from that self care, they need to be removed from your life. Indulgence can be something as simple as a bubble bath with lit candles and a glass of wine with nice music playing or it can be as convoluted as an entire weekend at the spa or anything in between, to each our own indulgences, what which makes us happier and more content inside and that we can afford, going into debt kinda counteracts that making us feel better stuff, so sometimes we have to make due with just the bath without the bubbles, wine or candles, sometimes it may have to be just a better quality shampoo, but you get the idea....

It also sounds like you are playing way too many others tapes in your head.....'I have no reason not to learn or not to be social'....Who put that shit into your head? You have every reason to not learn and to not be social and each and every reason is yours and each and every reason is VALID. Period. If you are not interested in something, why would you want to learn it? As for social, really, the world dictates that everyone should have at least X amount of friends to be considered normal? Are you refusing to even speak or communicate with anyone at all? No, you wrote this post, so there is some kind of social interaction, there you go, if that is all the social interaction you can tolerate, that is good, for you, if YOU are not happy with that, then work on it, if you are okay with that, then stop hearing others telling you you need more friends or need to be more socially interactive. You don't like to go out, you like to stay home, that is YOUR business, not anyone elses.

It is okay to be a home body, not everyone likes to go out. If you are missing going out, then go out, you do not need anyone to go out with, go out alone, maybe you will meet someone with similar interests and you decide to spend time together, maybe not, maybe you will find you like going out doing things alone, maybe you will find out you really do not like going out and it is so overrated than you ever realized and find you are okay being a home body.

It is okay to only study the things you want to learn, ask any doctor how to build an office building, ask any architect how to perform heart surgery.

It is okay to not have friends, not have many people in your life, to recognize everyone as only acquaintances. You do not need to have, maintain, or gain a certain number of friends or people in your life. Friends are people that we share secrets with, our true selves with, things that we may not want the outer world to see, friends are people that can see us without our masks and still like us and we still like them after they see us without our masks and we still like them after seeing them without their masks. If someone is NOT making you feel comfortable showing yourself to them without your mask, there is a reason, listen to your gut. If you are showing people your maskless self and they are not accepting of you, they are not your friend, if others are showing you their maskless self and you are not comfortable or accepting of them, you are not their friend, and THAT is okay, we do not HAVE to accept others that make us feel uncomfortable, but, neither do they. This is the reason so many people truly have only one or two friends or none at all. Stop convincing yourself that 'real' people or 'normal' people are these social butterflies that are beloved by all and actually enjoy being surrounded by others on a continual basis.

Thank you for such a comprehensive answer. It made me smile :)

I can't say I disagree with what you wrote. But I'm afraid that if I don't feign normality, I'll fall in and out of the hole I'll never get out of. I can't say that I don't try to enjoy life. But the pain doesn't make me feel fulfilled. No matter what I do sometimes I don't feel "human" enough. I feel too much pain. I am too weak and cowardly. Perhaps I lack the desire to somehow establish myself in this life. Some time ago I thought I wouldn't live anymore.

I'm afraid of showing others how broken I really am. I think I think it will only make me suffer more.