Scientifically speaking, psychosomatics is a branch at the interface of medicine and psychology that studies the relationship between diseases at the physiological level and the psychological state. The concept itself has existed for about 200 years. However, in recent years, in addition to specialists in psychosomatics themselves, more and more doctors and psychologists say that the origin of many human diseases lies in the psychological and emotional factors, such as personality traits, attitudes toward their illness, trauma suffered.
Psychosomatic illnesses include bronchial asthma, allergies, headaches, including migraines, some diseases of the heart and gastrointestinal tract, dermatitis, radiculitis, infertility excluding reproductive system pathology, obesity and many others. To achieve the best results in treating psychosomatics, the help of a psychologist is needed in addition to medical intervention. It is also possible that psychological techniques will be the main method aimed at improving the health of the patient.
Psychological causes of psychosomatic diseases
How do psychological factors influence the occurrence of physical diseases? According to the classification of Leslie LeCrone, one of the experts in the field of psychosomatics, there are several major sources of psychosomatic disorders.
Self-punishment. A person experiencing guilt becomes ill, and his or her illness becomes a kind of unconscious self-punishment. Such a situation may alleviate feelings of guilt. But, as we understand, the disorder can significantly affect the individual’s quality of life and lead to irreversible consequences. Conflict. The basis for the emergence of malaise can be intrapersonal conflict, which will consist in the struggle of 2 opposing interests of the individual and will lead, conditionally speaking, to the victory of one of them. In this case, the “losing” part of the personality begins to “assert its rights,” which will manifest itself in the form of psychosomatics, that is, the symptoms of disease.
Identification. The person identifies himself or herself with a loved one who is or was ill. In this case, similar symptoms or the same illness appear. Most often it is a strong emotional connection, and there is a possibility that he will die or has already died, so there is a fear of losing him, and in fact it has already happened.
Body Language. Sometimes illness becomes a means of expressing an inner state. As illustrative examples, such statements as “it only gives me a headache,” “I can’t digest it,” “my heart aches for it,” “my hands are tied. A particular organ begins to ache, migraines or digestive disorders appear, breathing becomes difficult or the heart hurts.
Past experiences. Traumatic situations from the past can also be the basis of unhealthiness. Usually, these are negative experiences from childhood – a single traumatic episode or systematic exposure and prolonged stay in an unfavorable situation. Despite the fact that much time has passed, the personality continues to experience. It is this emotional state that lays its imprint on the body, contributing to the onset of symptoms. And the illness will not recede until there is an opportunity to process and let go of the past situation and the experience itself.
Motivation (conditional benefit). An ailment arises for the purpose of bringing some kind of benefit to its owner. But it cannot be called simulation; the symptoms appear unconsciously. And it becomes a means to achieve a certain goal, for example, the child becomes ill in order to get the attention of parents.
Suggestion. In this case, the symptoms of the disease appear through suggestion, then the person unconsciously accepts the thought of his disordered condition. Inducement of the symptom occurs under the influence of people who have authority or just happened to be around during a difficult period.
In order to identify such causes, an individual consultation with a psychologist specializing in psychosomatics and neuroses is required. Only studies with a psychologist will realize and work through the problem that led to the emergence of psychosomatic illness and get rid of it.
Psychosomatic diseases – how to treat them?
As we already understand, psychosomatic diseases are based on psychological and emotional reasons for their occurrence, a kind of protective mechanism, which helps a person to achieve certain psychological goals at the cost of health. However, most diseases have a reversible nature, in other words, there is an opportunity to be completely cured and permanently get rid of the disorder both independently and with the timely, professional help of a psychosomatic psychologist with a comprehensive approach.
