Somatic symptom disorder has a long history. Sigmund Freud described a case of Anna, who displayed several physical conditions (e.g., pain, dizziness, numbness, and visual disturbances) with no apparent medical cause. Also, schizophrenia is not actually one single disorder but a spectrum of disorders that fall along a continuum of symptoms and functioning levels.

• Describe somatic symptom disorder, and if the disorder can be diagnosed if the person has an actual physical illness.
• Describe the basic criteria for schizophrenia based on the current DSM criteria. Explain the differences between negative and positive symptoms.
• Explain the prognosis of an individual diagnosed with schizophrenia based on age and gender factors.

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