A 29-year-old patient is admitted with nausea and diarrhea. She has not eaten anything since she learned her dog was hit by a car three days ago. She complains of "a migraine." The patient has a flat affect and her family says she "has not shed a tear." The patient is exhibiting which personality trait?

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4. Individuals with somatic symptom and related disorders complain of biological disorders focusing on those complaints to the extent of risking functional impairment in other domains. An individual with alexithymia is unable to identify or define feelings into words. Alexithymia has been linked to PTSD and migraine headaches. Negative affectivity is an independent risk factor for having multiple somatic symptoms; hypochondriasis refers to illness anxiety disorder; and dysthymia is a chronic depression.

A 29-Year-Old Patient Is Admitted with Nausea and Diarrhea