Somatization: Diagnosing it sooner through emotion-focused interviewing.

somatization, the translation of emotions into somatic problems or complaints. It is well documented—though still largely unrecognized in practice—that somatization accounts for a large proportion of office visits to primary care physicians as well as specialists, leading to unnecessary testing, treatment, and hospitalization, disability and corporate financial loss, likely earlier mortality, and frustration for patients and physicians.