Causes

The exact cause of somatic symptom disorder isn't clear, but any of these factors may play a role:

• Genetic and biological factors, such as an increased sensitivity to pain
• Family influence, which may be genetic or environmental, or both
• Personality trait of negativity, which can impact how you identify and perceive illness and bodily symptoms
• Decreased awareness of or problems processing emotions, causing physical symptoms to become the focus rather than the emotional issues
• Learned behavior — for example, the attention or other benefits gained from having an illness; or "pain behaviors" in response to symptoms, such as excessive avoidance of activity, which can increase your level of disability