Somatic Symptoms and Related Disorder in an Unmarried Female Undergraduate Student following Parental Autocratic Behaviour : A Case Report

Abstract

This case report aims to unveil the influence of undue paternalistic behaviour on the health of a family member in order to provide insight to the consequences of undemocratic parenting style in the family. The presentation of an “undifferentiated” patient is a common encounter in the Family Medicine Clinics. Therefore, a thorough evaluation and high index of suspicion is vital in managing such cases with thick file syndrome or recurrent hospital visits. These cohort of patients are often at risk of misdiagnosis and/or request for high technology investigations which is unnecessary for the individual and family. A 23-year-old unmarried university female student presented with complaints of crawling sensations in the body, chest pain and intermittent palpitation for six months at a Family Medicine Clinic. She was previously misdiagnosed for other conditions but it turned out to be somatic symptom and related disorder (SSRD). This case clearly revealed the psychosocial influence from a paternal tyrannical behaviour resulting in mental disorder of a family member.