Indeed, there’s a circular logic built into psychogenic theories that ensures that once a doctor has decided the symptoms are psychogenic, pretty much anything the patient does will just reinforce that perception. According to the medical literature, some of the “red flags” that suggest patients may be suffering from a somatoform disorder include repeatedly seeking medical care—described as “doctor shopping”—despite assurances that they have no organic disease and denying that their symptoms are psychogenic.
