What’s Somatization?

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Somatization is the process by which mental and emotional stresses become physical in the form of psychosomatic illnesses. Some experts believe that as stresses play on the body, the weaker or more prone system becomes the likely target for it. Others believe that the area affected by somatization has a direct relationship to the nature of negative thought patterns through as yet not fully understood mind/body relationships.

While psychosomatic illnesses can come and go depending on a person’s ability to handle stress, somatization often becomes an integrated pattern that results in chronic pain or lingering illness with no biological cause. The mind/body relationship transfers highly negative or unhealthy thought patterns into physical disease. When this occurs, there is no other medical explanation for the disease.

Hypochondriacs, or those who perpetually believe they are suffering from much worse diseases than their symptoms or prognosis indicate, display a mindset that is conducive to chronic somatization. Virtually all phobias are caused by “physically ingested” extreme stresses based on a specific activity or object. Ulcers, back pain, irritable bowel syndrome, panic attacks and tension headaches are some other examples of diseases that the body can produce through the somatization of emotional and mental stress. An unfortunate result of having a history of benign psychosomatic illnesses is that a doctor may begin to think that after some time new aches, pains and complaints are the result of this process. He or she may not order the tests needed to rule out other causes.

Somatization can be controlled by the patient learning to handle mental and emotional stresses more skillfully. This ideally involves cognitive behavioral therapy through self-analysis of one form or another. If it occurs only occasionally, the symptoms of psychosomatic illness will lessen on their own as stress levels return to normal.

While not fully understood, somatization presents a clear argument that the mind and body share a close and intertwined relationship. While psychosomatic illnesses have their roots in mental and emotional stresses, they are real illnesses that require treatment. In cases of chronic somatization, both medical treatment and successful psychological treatment are required for lasting results.

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