Psychosomatics

This topic is covered with myths like a ship’s hull with barnacles. What only they do not say about psychosomatics! And in a categorical tone, without a shadow of a doubt!

– “All diseases are caused by nerves!” (Physiological causes are ignored, everything is determined by the psychological state).

– “Doctors didn’t find anything – must be psychosomatics!”

– “Psychosomatics doesn’t exist! People just pretend!”

– “People just imagine things!”

And this is only a subset of what is out there. But what is psychosomatics in reality?

The term “psychosomatics” consists of two words: soul + body. The relationship between them is mutual and bi-directional. Our psychological state is “written” into our body and it affects and changes how we feel. And our physical state has its own psychological “entourage” in the form of illnesses and dysfunctions. 

Psychosomatics explains the relationship between our important emotional experiences (inability to express anger; vulnerability; experienced fear; anxiety; guilt; a ban on the expression of feelings) and our physical wellbeing and ailments.

Diseases may happen because of intense stress, emotional upheavals, and psychological traumas. It is this connection that is considered to be a psychosomatic manifestation. 

For example, Laura is experiencing chronic stress: she works in a very toxic environment where she is forced to endure the tyranny of her boss every day. She cannot even respond to him because she is afraid to be fired, and she has a mortgage and a sick mother.

Laura feels stress, anger that she cannot express, and fear (what if she gets fired). All this triggers many changes in her body, and as a result, she gets diagnosed with a pancreatic ulcer. This is psychosomatics.

But here is another example:

“Oh, you have migraines because you feel resentment towards your mother. And you have cystitis because you do not accept your feminine essence and are afraid to grow up.”

No, friends, this is not psychosomatics, but something that gets confused with it often.

By the way, here are the seven diseases that are traditionally classified as psychosomatic (this is a well-researched and proven scientific fact): hypertension, bronchial asthma, peptic ulcer of the duodenum and stomach, ulcerative colitis, neurodermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, hyperthyroid syndrome (hyperfunction of the thyroid gland). Therefore, if you have any of these ailments, you should look for reasons not only in the physical “malfunction”.

It is the weakest link that gets broken. If any organ or a system within your body is more vulnerable, it is most likely that they will be affected first. 

However, there are personal traits that create a predisposition to certain illnesses. For example, the so-called type A personality is prone to cardiovascular diseases: a person who is constantly fighting for success, competitive, highly irritable and aggressive, and over-responsible in their profession: “Who else, if not me!”, “Without me, everything will collapse here!” …

It is necessary to treat psychosomatic diseases by addressing them from both sides at once: body and soul. A specialized doctor (who will treat the somatic side) and a psychotherapist will help in this difficult matter. They will help to find the cause of the disease and develop new strategies of behavior.