orphan patient


A patient with primary hypochondriasis who has its psychodynamic origin in the unconscious gratification of bodily symptoms and physical suffering that begins when a patient mistakenly assigns serious disease to normal bodily functions or to benign symptoms of trivial illnesses or to the somatic symptoms of emotional arousal

orphan patient

Psychiatry A Pt with primary hypochondriasis that has its psychodynamic origin in the unconscious gratifications of bodily Sx and physical suffering that begins when a Pt mistakenly assigns serious disease to normal bodily functions or to benign Sx of trivial illnesses or to the somatic Sx of emotional arousal. See Munchausen syndrome, Self-mutilation.