Somatization patients tend to believe that vague physical symptoms are indicators of serious disease and seek treatment for them. Eg, they may fear that a headache signals a brain tumor, or that shortness of breath means asthma. When their doctors can find no medical explanation for the symptoms, the patients may fear that they have a rare disease; they frantically look for specialists who can provide a diagnosis. Anxiety may cause them to focus even more intensely on their symptoms, which in turn become more disabling. Many sufferers reduce or eliminate many activities out of fear that exertion will worsen their symptoms. With fewer activities to distract them from their symptoms, they spend more time worrying about physical problems, resulting in greater distress and disability.
Attribution: Avallain