Introduction to Psychosomatic Symptoms

What are the psychosomatic symptoms?

Sorrowing Old Man, Vincent Van Gogh

Psychosomatic symptoms are physical diseases that are caused by psychological factors. Chronic stress, unresolved conflict, depression, loss of important people in our lives and other psychological difficulties can trigger the emergence of psychosomatic symptoms, which if not taken care of can become real health problems. This is why psychologists have turned their efforts on understanding the nature of psychosomatic symptoms.

Background

Freud was the first to underline the psychological dimension of physical diseases saying in 1923 that “the psychoanalytic treatment of obvious organic disturbances is not without a future, since it is not unusual for a psychic factor to play a role in the genesis and persistence of these affections". In the 1940s Franz Alexander expanded on Freud’s theory saying that emotional conflict and the buildup of negative feelings could result in somatic symptoms. Alexander also spoke about “organ neurosis”. This term meant that when energy stagnated in a bodily organ for too long, this organ would get ill. During the same period Helen Dunbar, main representative of the School of New York, introduced the idea of “personality types” that were linked to specific diseases. This school of thought suggested that the personality structure of each patient made them vulnerable to specific illnesses and laid the ground for the development of somatic symptoms.  

Which are the most common psychosomatic symptoms?

The most common psychosomatic symptoms are: stomach ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, skin problems, allergies, high blood pressure and heart disease. Also a few scientists regard as psychosomatic symptoms pains that are caused by psychological factors but do not lead to physical diseases. For example, people may feel headache, backache or high blood pressure after a period of great stress.

Which are the causes? 

The brain affects the body in many ways. When we feel extreme fear or anxiety our pulse rate increases, we sweat, we feel dizzy or we start breathing very fast which proves how our perception of the world can influence our bodily functions. Furthermore, stress may affect the function of the immune system and make the body vulnerable to illness. Nevertheless, the exact way in which our central nervous system acts upon our body to create symptoms is still unknown.

Treatment

According to some psychoanalysts at the heart of every psychosomatic symptom lies a person who seeks understanding. The psychosomatic symptom is a sign that something is wrong in the person’s life. The development of the personality is hindered and symptoms are created. Through psychotherapy the patient can start a deeper dialogue with their self and process their relationships with other people in order to find the dysfunctional patterns of communication. In the cases of successful psychotherapy chronic emotions of pain, sorrow and anger that remained buried in the unconscious usually come to surface. With the gradual understanding of these emotions the psychosomatic symptom can restore its initial meaning, find its place in the history of the person and in some cases disappear. 

What is your experience with psychosomatic symptoms? Please share in the comments below.