A woman with a history of using excessive aspirin and health anxiety may be diagnosed with which disorder?

A diagnosis of somatic symptom disorder is appropriately linked to a woman who has a history of excessive aspirin use and health anxiety because this condition involves the presence of one or more somatic symptoms that are distressing or result in significant disruption to daily life. In this case, the excessive use of aspirin suggests that her anxiety may manifest in physical symptoms or behaviors related to her health concerns.

Individuals with somatic symptom disorder experience excessive thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in response to somatic symptoms, which can include the belief that they are seriously ill when they might not be. The woman's history of health anxiety points to an underlying preoccupation with her health, which can lead to seeking treatment or medication, as seen with aspirin use. This reflects the core features of somatic symptom disorder, where anxiety and physical manifestations intertwine significantly.

Generalized anxiety disorder encompasses a broader pattern of excessive worry about various aspects of life, while health anxiety disorder particularly focuses on fears about having or acquiring a serious illness. Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent unexpected panic attacks and concern about future attacks, which is not indicated in this scenario. Hence, somatic symptom disorder fits the symptoms and history presented more accurately than the other conditions.