Somatic Symptoms in Depressive Illness

Abstract

It is widely recognized that somatic complaints are frequently encountered in depressive illness and in some instances these may predominate in the clinical presentation. Studies relating to the occurrence of such symptoms in depression have been reviewed by Cleghorn and Curtis (1959), who point out that in a number of patients mood disturbance may not be readily apparent. It is not unusual for these patients to be referred initially to a general medical or surgical clinic, where after investigation it is concluded that their complaints cannot be understood in terms of physical disease (Stoeckle and Davidson, 1962).