Embarrassment that makes you blush, fear that makes you break out in a cold sweat and love that makes your heart beat. They are common experiences that show us directly and unequivocally how our body, our emotions and our feelings are a single complex reality, closely linked and in continuous dialogue.
It is precisely on this dialogue that the psychosomatic science. The term itself, which derives from Greek psyché (soul) e soma (body), contains the essence of his approach: considering mind and body as two sides of the same coin, inseparable and in constant interaction.
This connection between mind and bodynow widely recognized, explains how intense or prolonged emotional states can trigger concrete physiological reactions, which sometimes lead to real psychosomatic diseases. In these cases, we could say that the body speaks to us: when the mind is unable to process or express a pain, a conflict or an emotion, the body can take charge of it, transforming the psychological discomfort into psychosomatic symptoms tangible. In this article we will explore what psychosomatic disorders are, what they can cause and how you can deal with them to regain well-being.
What are psychosomatic disorders?
It may happen that you feel persistent physical discomfort and pain, contact your doctor and, after a series of tests, be told that “there is nothing wrong”. This experience can be frustrating and disorienting, because the pain is real, but appears to have no obvious medical cause.
It is precisely in these situations that we can start talking about psychosomatic disorders. This term refers to presence of physical symptoms concrete and sometimes disabling (so-called psychosomatic pain) That they cannot be explained by a defined medical condition. Their origin, in all likelihood, is to be found in a conflict or psychological discomfort which, finding no other way out, manifests itself through body language.
What are the causes of psychosomatic disorders?
THE psychosomatic symptoms they tend to manifest themselves when our body finds itself managing a situation emergency condition prolonged. This emergency is not necessarily an external event, but can arise from unexpressed or unresolved emotionslike an anxiety that we have carried within us for years, an anger that we are unable to vent or old grudges that have never been overcome. It’s as if the body is constantly on alert.
It is important to clarify that it is not anxiety, fear or stress itself that is causing the problem. These are human emotions, natural and often useful to our growth. The breaking point occurs when the intensity of these emotions exceeds a certain threshold or, more commonly, when it psychosomatic stress it lasts too long, without giving us the opportunity to process it in a healthy way. That’s when emotional distress can result psychosomatic stress-induced illnesses.
Alexithymia and psychosomatic disorders
A factor closely linked to psychosomatic disorders is alexithymia, a psychological condition that involves considerable difficulty in identifying, describing and distinguishing one’s emotions from physical sensations. Those who suffer from it may perceive their emotional life as flat or have thoughts oriented almost exclusively towards the outside, struggling to get in touch with their inner world.
Scientific research has thoroughly explored the connection between alexithymia and psychosomatic disorders. The prevailing hypothesis is that the inability to process and verbalize emotions pushes the body to find an alternative channel to “express” that discomfort. For example, a study from the University of Rome Wisdom found a higher incidence of alexithymia in people with hypertension. The researchers hypothesized that these individuals, being less capable of consciously processing their emotions, tend to express them mainly through physiological responses, such as an increase in blood pressure.
The nervous system and psychosomatic disorders
To understand how an emotion can transform into a physical symptom, it is useful to look at our nervous system. The link between mind and body is not an abstract concept, but a biological reality managed by autonomic nervous system (ANS), which regulates involuntary functions such as heartbeat, digestion and breathing.
The ANS is mainly divided into two branches with opposite functions:
- The sympathetic nervous system:it is our “accelerator”: it is activated in situations of stress or danger, preparing the body for action (the “fight or flight” response). It increases your heart rate, tightens your muscles, and releases hormones like cortisol.
- The parasympathetic nervous system: it’s our \”brake\”. It promotes relaxation, digestion and recovery of energy (the \”rest and digest\” response).
In people who manifest psychosomatic disorders, the “accelerator” often remains constantly pressed. Chronic stress, persistent anxiety, or unresolved emotional conflicts keep the sympathetic system in a state of perpetual activation. Physical symptoms, therefore, are nothing more than the manifestation of a body that lives in a continuous state of emergency. It is not a sign of weakness, but a physiological response to an emotional load that has become unsustainable.
What are the most common psychosomatic symptoms?
THE psychosomatic disorders they can occur in almost any part of the body. It is essential to remember that, before attributing a symptom to a psychological cause, it is always necessary to exclude organic origins with your doctor. That said, here’s a list of some of the psychosomatic symptoms and of psychosomatic diseases most common, grouped by system.
- Gastrointestinal disorders: the stomach and intestines are often the first to suffer from stress. Psychosomatic nausea, psychosomatic vomitingheartburn, diarrhea, colitis and gastritis can be signs of asomatized stomach anxiety.
- Cardiocirculatory system disorders: arrhythmias, hypertension, tachycardia or a sudden feeling of faintness may be linked topsychosomatic anxietyespecially when you try unsuccessfully to control these physical reactions.
- Disorders of the urogenital system: pain and irregularities of the menstrual cycle, erectile dysfunction or ejaculation, urination disorders and conditions such as vulvodynia can have a strong psychological component.
- Skin disorders: the skin is a mirror of our emotions. Acne, psychosomatic dermatitis, itching, urticaria, dry skin and mucous membranes or excessive anxiety-induced night sweats they can be cutaneous manifestations of internal discomfort.
- Neuromuscular disorders: tension headache or migraine, widespread pain such as back pain and sore throat, muscle stiffness, cramps and weakness. Even sensations like the psychosomatic tinglingThe psychosomatic internal tremordizziness, dizziness, bruxism and even it fainting due to psychological causes fall into this category.
Common characteristics of psychosomatic disorders
Inside the health psychologypsychosomatic disorders are often united by some characteristics recurring which help to understand its nature:
- Individual vulnerability: A stressful or difficult event can trigger a somatic symptom, especially if it taps into a past emotional wound, such as unprocessed trauma.
- Chronicization: discomfort tends to become chronic when both the emotional stimulus (stress) and the physical response (the symptom) continue over time.
- Multifactorial origin: the cause is almost never just one. The onset of a psychosomatic disorder depends on a complex mix of biological, psychological and social factors.
- Somatization: it is the central mechanism, the “leap” that discomfort makes from the purely psychological sphere to the physical one, manifesting itself as a bodily symptom.
A relational reading of psychosomatic disorders
An interesting perspective on psychosomatic disorders is offered to us by the systemic-relational approach. The psychiatrist and psychotherapist Salvador Minuchin, for example, hypothesized that the person who develops psychosomatic symptoms can be inserted into a family system with dynamic dysfunctional.
According to this reading, family relationships could be characterized by:
- Hyper-involvement: excessive intrusiveness and a tendency of the various members to constantly concern themselves with others, blurring personal boundaries.
- Overprotectiveness: an excessively protective attitude that can hinder the development of individual autonomy.
- Rigidity: a strong resistance to change, such as the natural growth of children and their separation from their family of origin.
- Conflict avoidance: a difficulty in recognizing and addressing disagreements, which thus remain latent and unresolved, generating constant tension.
How can psychosomatic disorders be addressed?
If you’re wondering how to eliminate psychosomatic disordersthe first fundamental step, as already underlined, is an accurate medical evaluation for exclude any organic cause. Only after having ascertained that symptoms like psychosomatic nausea or psychosomatic vomiting do not have physical origins, a path aimed at psychological well-being can be undertaken.
Excluding a purely pharmacological approach, the therapeutic interventions prove to be particularly effective. A psychological journey can help to:
- Develop greater autonomy and self-awareness.
- Learn to recognize, name and express conflicts and difficult emotions.
- Find more effective strategies to manage stress and your emotional reactions.
- Welcome change as an opportunity for personal growth.
Dealing with psychosomatic disorders means embarking on a journey of listening to your body and your emotions. Contact one psychologist who works on issues related to psychosomatic disorders it can be the decisive step to explore this connection in a safe and non-judgmental space, and to finally transform the symptom from enemy to messenger.
