The Relationship Between Somatization and Depression Types: Comparison of Unipolar Depression and Bipolar Depression

Abstract

Objective: Somatic symptoms are more likely to be present in depression and anxiety, which causes to waste medical resources due to excessive hospital addmissions. It has been observed that the unclarity of qualitative and quantitative characteristics of somatization depending on the type of depression influences clinical practice less than expected. In the present study, it was aimed to determine the hallmarks of somatic symptoms in depression groups and to investigate the factors that might have an effect on somatic symptoms.

Method: One hundred consecutive patients (50 with Bipolar Depression (BD), 50 with Unipolar Depression (UD)) who met the criteria participated in the study. Patients were assessed for depressive symptoms with Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale and for somatic symptoms with Bradford Somatic Symptom Inventory. Clinical features were obtained by the clinician via Sociodemographic Data Form.

Results: It was found that no significant difference in somatization characteristics between the depression groups. (p> .05). Somatic symptom severity was higher in the UD group in the presence of psychiatric comorbidity (p= .013), but not in BD. Another prominent finding was that the severity of depression was noted the only predictor of severe somatization.

Conclusion: The results show that increased somatic symptoms are associated with the severity of depression, suggesting treatment of depression with somatization rather than differential diagnosis should be primary concern.