The word psychosomatic is a combination of two words, namely mind (psyche) and body (soma). If defined, psychosomatic disorders are physical complaints that arise or are influenced by thoughts or emotions, rather than by an obvious physical reason, such as an injury or infection.
Psychosomatic disorders can occur in all age groups, from children to adults. The emergence of psychosomatic complaints in a person usually begins with mental health problems they experience, such as fear, stress, depression, or anxiety.
Recognizing the Symptoms and Signs of Psychosomatic Disorder
The following are some of the symptoms that may appear in people with psychosomatic disorders:
- Stomach pain or heartburn
- Back pain
- Headache
- Tired easily
- Muscle ache
- Shortness of breath or asthma
- Chest pain
- Heart pounding
- Sweaty palms
People with psychosomatic disorders, both adults and children, can generally recognize the following signs:
- Tend to feel excessive worry even though the complaint is relatively mild.
- Psychosomatic complaints generally appear when under stress or when the load of the mind increases.
- The pattern of appearance of physical complaints is usually triggered by stress and often occurs repeatedly.
Psychosomatic disorders can also be in the form of worsening of an existing physical illness due to the influence of psychological, emotional, or thought conditions. Examples of physical conditions that can be exacerbated by psychological factors are heartburn, psoriasis, eczema, high blood pressure, and heart disease.
Psychosomatic Medicine
In psychosomatic disorders, doctors do not only focus on treating the physical symptoms experienced by the patient, but also treat mental or psychological conditions that cause physical complaints in the patient.
Therefore, after the physical complaints are handled, the patient may be referred to a psychiatrist to be examined and treated for his psychological condition.
Some of the treatment for psychosomatic disorders that may be carried out by psychiatrists are:
Psychotherapy
Types of psychotherapy treatment are generally carried out in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy. This treatment aims to train a person's mental response to tough situations. This will be very useful to reduce the physical complaints experienced by people with psychosomatic disorders.
Hypnotherapy
Hypnotherapy can coexist with psychotherapy, and is effective for dealing with stress and anxiety. Hypnosis in this therapy can make a person able to explore thoughts, feelings, and painful memories hidden in his subconscious mind.
With the discovery of these hidden wounds, doctors can help patients process and respond to these wounds so they don't develop into stress that can trigger psychosomatic disorders.
Drugs
Medications are usually used for mental disorders that cause psychosomatic symptoms. Psychiatrists generally prescribe antidepressant medications that can reduce the physical symptoms or pain associated with depression and psychosomatic disorders.
In addition to the methods above, the psychiatrist may also train the patient on how to manage stress well. The goal is that patients can prevent or relieve psychosomatic symptoms when under stress.
Although originating from the mind, psychosomatic disorders should not be underestimated and must be overcome. If you often complain of pain when you have problems, consult a psychiatrist to get the right examination and treatment.