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Julio is a 31-year-old patient who comes to your mental health outpatient clinic. Which of the following would alert you to the potential for somatization?

A) Expressing sadness and hopelessness
B) Frequent complaints of physical pain with no medical cause
C) Social withdrawal and isolation
D) Delusional thoughts and hallucinations

User Semanser
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Final answer:

Somatization in a mental health context is indicated by frequent complaints of physical pain with no medical cause. It involves expressing psychological distress through physical symptoms, which are not caused by any identifiable medical condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

Julio, a 31-year-old patient, might alert a mental health professional to the potential for somatization if he exhibits B) Frequent complaints of physical pain with no medical cause. Somatization is the expression of psychological distress through physical symptoms. These symptoms cannot be explained by a medical condition, are not the result of substance abuse, and are not feigned. Patients may experience and report unexplained health problems such as chronic pain in various parts of the body, gastrointestinal symptoms, sexual symptoms, or neurological symptoms that have no identifiable medical origin.

Other options listed, such as expressing sadness and hopelessness (A), social withdrawal and isolation (C), and delusional thoughts and hallucinations (D), may indicate other mental health issues such as depression, social anxiety, or psychotic disorders but are not direct indicators of somatization. Depression symptoms can include a variety of emotional and physical problems such as sadness, sleeping and eating issues, and feelings of hopelessness, but not necessarily persistent physical complaints without a medical explanation.

User Mohamedrias
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