Authors
Mathilde Horn, Thomas Fovet, Cédric Lemogne, Guillaume Vaiva, Ali Amad, Fabien D'Hondt
Published in
Journal of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. Jul 17, 2026. Epub Jul 17, 2026.
Abstract
Functional somatic disorders (FSD) are characterized by persistent and bothersome physical symptoms associated with impairment or disability. FSD have a significant impact on quality of life, whilst concurrently presenting clinicians with considerable challenges, due to the difficulty in comprehending the reasons for and the mechanisms by which physical symptoms persist. A history of medical events (e.g., severe infections, injuries, or invasive procedures) is common in patients with FSD and has been identified as a potential trigger factor. The emergence of physical symptoms and health-related psychological symptoms after a stressful medical event provides a compelling basis for comparison with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This paper hypothesizes that a subset of FSD cases can be conceptualized as a "post-medical event stress disorder," a condition analogous to PTSD. This paper re-interprets FSD symptoms as consequences of a stressful medical event, detailing the psychopathological processes that may explain their emergence and persistence in a specific subset of patients. While acknowledging key differences between FSD and PTSD, we propose a therapeutic framework for this specific subgroup of FSD patients that draws on successful PTSD treatment models. We conclude by outlining future research to further explore and validate this proposed PTSD-like mechanism.
PMID:
42468741
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 18 Jul 2026.
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