Psychological Factors Affecting Other Medical Conditions

(See also Overview of Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders Overview of Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders Somatic symptom and related disorders are mental health disorders characterized by an intense focus on physical (somatic) symptoms that causes significant distress and/or interferes with daily... read more .)

People's attitudes or behavior can negatively affect any disorder (such as diabetes mellitus Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Diabetes mellitus is a disorder in which the body does not produce enough or respond normally to insulin, causing blood sugar (glucose) levels to be abnormally high. Urination and thirst are... read more , heart disease Overview of Heart and Blood Vessel Symptoms Disorders that affect the heart or blood vessels are called cardiovascular disorders. Cardiovascular disorders are usually divided into Heart (cardiac) disorders: Heart disorders affect the... read more , or migraines Migraines A migraine headache is typically a pulsating or throbbing pain that ranges from moderate to severe. It can affect one or both sides of the head. It is often worsened by physical activity, light... read more ) or symptom (such as pain Overview of Pain Pain is an unpleasant sensation signaling actual or possible injury. Pain is the most common reason people seek medical care. Pain may be sharp or dull, intermittent or constant, or throbbing... read more ). Attitudes and behavior can make a disorder or symptoms worse, sometimes resulting in hospitalization or a visit to an emergency department. For example, severe stress can temporarily weaken the heart, or chronic work-related stress can increase the risk of high blood pressure. The risk of suffering, death, or disability due to the disorder can be increased.

Factors that can worsen a medical condition include the following:

Psychological factors affecting other medical conditions is diagnosed if a psychological factor clearly affects how a disorder progresses.

Treatment involves