In our continuing effort to provide information related to Social Security’s new listings on mental impairments we are going to look at changes made to the Somatic symptom and related disorder listing. A Somatoform disorder is characterized as a form of mental illness that causes one or more bodily symptoms, including pain. And, as just a reminder, Social Security’s set of listings are used in evaluating disability claims judging a condition’s severity and how it limits a person’s ability to function. We will post the current listing for Somatoform disorder followed by the new listing, which will take effect January 17, 2017.
Current Somatic Symptom and Related Disorder Listing
12.07 Somatoform disorders: Physical symptoms for which there are no demonstrable organic findings or known physiological mechanisms.
The required level of severity for these disorders is met when the requirements in both A and B are satisfied.
- Medically documented by evidence of one of the following:
- A history of multiple physical symptoms of several years duration, beginning before age 30, that have caused the individual to take medicine frequently, see a physician often and alter life patterns significantly; or
- Persistent nonorganic disturbance of one of the following:
- Vision; or
- Speech; or
- Hearing; or
- Use of a limb; or
- Movement and its control (e.g., coordination disturbance, psychogenic seizures, akinesia, dyskinesia; or
- Sensation (e.g., diminished or heightened).
- Unrealistic interpretation of physical signs or sensations associated with the preoccupation or belief that one has a serious disease or injury;
AND
- Resulting in at least two of the following:
- Marked restriction of activities of daily living; or
- Marked difficulties in maintaining social functioning; or
- Marked difficulties in maintaining concentration, persistence, or pace; or
- Repeated episodes of decompensation, each of extended duration.
New Somatoform Listing
12.07 Somatic symptom and related disorders, satisfied by A and B
- Medical documentation of one or more of the following:
- Symptoms of altered voluntary motor or sensory function that are not better explained by another medical or mental disorder;
- One or more somatic symptoms that are distressing, with excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors related to the symptoms; or
- Preoccupation with having or acquiring a serious illness without significant symptoms present.
AND
- Extreme limitation of one, or marked limitation of two, of the following areas of mental functioning:
- Understand, remember, or apply information.
- Interact with others.
- Concentrate, persist, or maintain pace.
- Adapt or manage oneself.
