Foto: BB.LV / Популярная литература по психологии привнесла в наш лексикон термин «психосоматика».
**Olga Medvedeva, psychologist:** ## A Bit of History and Terminology: Where Does It Come From? In the International Classification of Diseases, what we have come to call psychosomatics is officially referred to as psychosomatic or somatoform disorders. This is a whole group of neurotic diseases, the main symptoms of which are caused by psychogenic factors (that is, prolonged stress or a psychologically traumatic situation), but they manifest exclusively at the bodily, somatic level. The term itself consists of two beautiful Greek words: ψυχή (psyche) — soul, and σῶμα (soma) — body. So, it literally means “soul-body.” Today, psychosomatics is a full-fledged science about the inseparable connection between our psychological experiences (stress, vivid emotions, old traumas) and physical health. It studies how exactly the mental state can cause or exacerbate real bodily ailments — such as agonizing headaches, digestive problems, sudden skin rashes, ischemia, or asthma, which have no visible organic causes. The root of these diseases lies in the nervous system, depleted by chronic stress, anxiety, suppressed anger, guilt, or fears that require careful psychotherapy. And this is not just speculation: according to dry statistics, up to 60% of all visits to general practitioners are actually manifestations of those very psychosomatic disorders. ## What Does Science Say? The Views of Great Minds The inseparable interconnection between the body and spirit, as well as the colossal influence of the psyche on health, were discussed by great thinkers of antiquity — Aristotle, Hippocrates, Plato, and Galen. However, the scientific foundation for these theories was laid by scientists of the 20th century. **Sigmund Freud.** The founder of psychoanalysis scientifically substantiated the leading role of the process of repression of intrapersonal conflict (that is, unpleasant events, heavy sensations, and experiences) in the emergence of psychological and physiological symptoms. Intrapersonal conflict is a state in which a person gets stuck and cannot choose a strategy of behavior or make an important decision. Repression helps the psyche to survive a difficult period. However, if the problem is not resolved and not lived through to the end, then the colossal tension in the systems of the body remains and eventually “fires” in the form of neurosis or psychosomatic manifestation. For example, in the case of hysterical neurosis, this can lead to temporary disturbances in movement, sensitivity, hearing, or vision — despite the fact that there are no real biological bases for the illness. Another result of the repression of conflict can be a sudden reaction of fear or a panic attack. **Wilhelm Reich.** Another founder of the psychosomatic approach noted that unprocessed emotional experiences do not disappear without a trace but remain in the body in the form of characteristic muscle tensions. They begin to manifest in the peculiarities of our gait, posture, and facial expressions. Reich called this phenomenon the “muscular armor.” Resolving internal conflicts and honestly experiencing emotions contributes to the “unraveling” of this armor and the return of lightness. **Franz Alexander.** Today, in the scientific world, it is customary to rely on the research of this professor from the University of Chicago. Like Freud, he believed that mental processes have exactly the same physiological nature as any other processes in the body. He identified unconscious emotional tension, which simply finds no outlet, as the main cause of psychosomatic disease. Consider this: joy and delight cause us to blush instantly — that is, an increase in blood circulation in the periphery due to the expansion of capillaries. However, strong fear or stress makes us pale, and our limbs become cold due to the sharp narrowing of blood vessels. Alexander identified 7 types of diseases that have gone down in history as the legendary “Chicago Seven.” ## The “Chicago Seven” and Their Hidden Signals **Disease / Psychological Subtext and Possible Triggers** * Bronchial asthma / Deep fear, suppressed aggression, indecisiveness. The feeling that someone is literally “suffocating,” “not letting breathe,” depriving freedom. Often the cause is suffocating parental overprotection. * Thyrotoxicosis / Chronic anxiety, constant fear, hyper-responsibility, and subconsciously hostile attitude towards the world. * Neurodermatitis / Victim scenario, excessive sensitivity, acute need for attention. The cause may lie in either the emotional alienation of parents or their overprotection (in the latter case, skin peeling is an attempt to establish rigid boundaries and break free from someone else's control). * Hypertension / Total suppression of emotions. A person is used to keeping everything inside, blocking any manifestations of feelings and literally “boiling” from within. * Colitis, peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum / Chronic resentment, deep anger, aggression directed at oneself (self-hatred), and global disappointment in the world. * Rheumatoid arthritis / Accumulated anger, unfulfilled need for love, stubbornness, heightened criticality, secrecy, and strict restraint of emotions. **By the way:** Today, this list also conditionally includes other diseases — migraine, ischemic heart disease, type 2 diabetes, psoriasis, allergic rhinitis, and even some forms of infertility.  ## How Does Psychosomatics Form? People who are prone to developing such disorders are often those who, due to the peculiarities of their psyche, cannot fully express their emotions (this is called alexithymia in science). Modern scientists identify several key reasons why the body begins to hurt: 1. Intrapersonal conflict. Constant experience of tension between mutually exclusive desires and goals (“I want to eat cakes and lose weight”), motives (“achieve wild success and do nothing”), or values. 2. Psychological traumas. A heavy past experience that has not been processed by the psyche. 3. Games with self-esteem. A passionate desire to be like someone else and/or complete rejection of one's own body and lifestyle. 4. Parental suggestions. Close people can willingly or unwittingly instill destructive beliefs in us: “If you are fat, no one will love you,” “I am the last letter of the alphabet,” “Don't shout, a good girl doesn't behave like that.” Parental manifestos on how to be perfect are most likely to become dangerous triggers. 5. Conditional benefit (motivation for illness). A reminder from childhood: “When I was little and sick, all attention, care, and the best pieces went to me.” Sometimes the body triggers illness just to legally receive rest, love, and care. 6. Self-programming. By regularly repeating phrases like “this sits in my liver,” “my head is about to explode,” “I wouldn’t lift my eyes to him,” a person programs their subconscious to carry out these commands literally. 7. Self-punishment. This occurs in people prone to self-blame, torturous shame, and guilt for any reason (up to the subconscious “I do not deserve to live”). **It is important to understand**: “into the body” go exactly those states and emotions that we cannot express not only to the outside world but even simply acknowledge within ourselves the right to experience them. ## Myths and Legends: Separating Truth from Info-Gypsyism **Myth 1. Psychosomatics does not exist** The essence of the myth: The state of health is not related to a person's mood and prolonged stress. Only pills help, and engaging in psychological work is a waste of time. And in reality? Psychosomatics is based on a serious biopsychosocial model and lies at the intersection of classical medicine, psychology, and social sciences. This model proves that the psychological factor is always present; the question is how strong its effect is. If a person constantly has back pain, there may be a psychological trigger in this state (for example, the burden of responsibility), but there are also other, quite mundane causes: sedentary work, uncomfortable chair, sedentary lifestyle. **Myth 2. All diseases come from nerves** The essence of the myth: The body instantly reacts to the state of the soul: if you get nervous or upset — you immediately get seriously ill. This is perceived as some kind of karmic punishment for bad thoughts. And in reality? Belief in this myth can lead to sad consequences. A sick person, instead of running to the doctor, starts endlessly working on their feelings, searching for childhood traumas, and dissecting relationships with parents. While they spend time on this, they may miss the moment and not be able to save their life. An instantaneous physiological reaction to stress does exist: before an important performance, we may sweat, our hands tremble, we have a headache, or our stomach churns. But as soon as the event is over — everything passes. With serious disorders, everything is different: constant stress activates the neuroendocrine, immune, and autonomic systems for weeks, which over time leads, for example, to autoimmune diseases or eating disorders. **Myth 3. The disease can be cured by self-suggestion** The essence of the myth: “If you think about cancer, you will definitely get it. Therefore, if you set your thoughts correctly and read affirmations, you can cure any ailment.” And in reality? This is a dangerous delusion. Self-suggestion cannot expel the HIV virus from the body or destroy a malignant tumor. People who believe in this myth waste precious time. When it becomes clear that affirmations do not help, it may already be too late for medical intervention. In people with alexithymia (inability to express feelings), psychosomatics is more likely to strike those organs and systems that are already genetically damaged or weakened. Self-suggestion will not save here — a comprehensive approach is needed. ## What to Do? A Clear Action Plan 1. First — evidence-based medicine. Before attributing your sluggish state to nerves and fatigue, it is necessary to consult a doctor, undergo examinations, and take basic tests. Remember that a depressed state and apathy can well be explained by a banal deficiency of vitamin D or ferritin, and attacks of tears and sudden anger can be a disorder of thyroid function. 2. Then — psychology. If you have undergone a check-up, all health indicators are normal, but unpleasant physical symptoms persist, your treating doctor will most likely recommend consulting a psychoneurologist or psychologist. A psychologist will help you gently understand the true cause of your “turning to illness,” teach you to experience stress in an eco-friendly way, and build new, healthy response strategies.
