Psychotherapy
CBT is the most effective approach, helping you understand mind–body links, reduce health worry and checking, and gradually return to activities.
Condition
Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders
Your physical symptoms are real — and the mind and body can work together to ease them.
Somatic symptom and related disorders involve physical symptoms — such as pain, fatigue or digestive problems — or worries about health that cause significant distress and take up a great deal of time and energy.
Symptoms are genuine, not imagined. They may or may not have a clear medical explanation, but the worry, attention and impact around them become a problem in themselves. Health anxiety is one form.
A respectful approach that takes both body and mind seriously can reduce distress and help people get back to living fully.
Understand the person. Understand the problem. Find the right path forward.
How it may show up
What Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders can look like
Everyone’s experience is different. You may recognise some of these, and not others.
Body
- Persistent pain, fatigue or discomfort
- Symptoms in several parts of the body
- Sensitivity to bodily sensations
Thoughts
- Worrying that symptoms signal serious illness
- Difficulty feeling reassured by normal results
- Frequent thoughts about health
Behaviour
- Repeated medical visits or tests
- Frequent body checking or online searching
- Avoiding activity for fear of symptoms
Daily Life
- Reduced work or social activity
- Low mood or frustration
- Feeling misunderstood by others
Understanding the condition
How body focus can amplify symptoms
A body sensation sparks worry, which draws attention to the body. Checking, searching or seeking reassurance bring brief comfort but keep attention fixed on symptoms, so they feel stronger. Treatment gently shifts this pattern.
- Body Sensation
- Worry
- Body Focus
- Checking
- Stronger Sensations
…and the cycle repeats.
Assessment at Psymate
The right treatment begins with the right understanding.
- Presenting symptoms
- Severity
- Duration and course
- Functional impact
- Associated psychiatric symptoms
- Physical and neurological factors
- Sleep
- Substance use
- Previous treatment
- Family history where relevant
- Risk and safety
- Review of medical history and previous investigations
- Coordination with your other doctors
- Screening for anxiety and depression
- Impact of symptoms on daily life
Start with a conversation
A clinician will take a careful history with you — and, where it helps, with people who know you well — to understand what is happening.
Psychiatry — the clinical core
Psychiatry means more than medication.
Your psychiatrist brings together diagnosis, clinical formulation, treatment selection, coordination of care, measurement and review.
PsychotherapyPharmacotherapyNeuromodulationLifestyle & Sleep InterventionsFamily CareRehabilitation
One person. One clinical plan. Multiple therapeutic modalities.
Treatment
How Somatic Symptom & Related Disorders is treated
Treatment is planned around you. These are the core approaches your care may draw on.
Explore Psymate Therapy
Pharmacotherapy
Medication may help with co-occurring depression or anxiety, or with certain persistent pain symptoms. It is individualised, monitored and reviewed regularly.
Not a routine treatment
Neuromodulation
Neuromodulation is not a routine treatment for somatic symptom disorders. Your psychiatrist will discuss whether it has any role for co-occurring conditions such as depression.
Additional care
Care shaped around this condition
Coordinated Medical Care
Working with your physicians so care is consistent and unnecessary tests are avoided.
Integrated care pathway
One connected path, from first conversation to lasting change.
- ASSESSA full picture of what you are experiencing
- UNDERSTANDA clear formulation, shared with you
- PERSONALISEA plan built around your goals
- TREATCBT + Coordinated medical care + Pharmacotherapy where needed
- MEASUREProgress tracked, not assumed
- REFINECare adjusted as you change
What recovery can look like
Recovery is more than fewer symptoms.
Less worry about health
Fewer unnecessary tests and visits
Return to everyday activities
Better sleep and energy
Improved quality of life
By caring for body and mind together, many people find their symptoms take up far less of their lives.
When to seek help
Consider an assessment when:
- Health worries taking up much of your day
- Repeated tests that do not bring lasting reassurance
- Physical symptoms limiting work, family or social life
- Symptoms are persistent or keep coming back
- They are causing you significant distress
- They are affecting relationships, work or education
- They are interfering with daily functioning
- They are becoming difficult to control
Urgent help
- Immediate risk of suicide
- Serious risk of self-harm
- Severe behavioural disturbance
- Being unable to keep yourself or others safe
- An acute medical or psychiatric emergency
The Psymate promise
What you can expect from us
- You will be heard.
- Your symptoms will be understood in context.
- Your treatment will be planned, not simply prescribed.
- Your progress will be measured.
- Your care will evolve with you.
You are a person before you are a diagnosis.
Begin Care
You don’t need to know what treatment you need before seeking help.
That is what assessment is for.
PSYMATE
Passion for healing meets the power of technology.
Science-led. Human-centred. Connected across the journey.