Somatization and Psychosomatic Diseases in Psychotherapy (Psychosomatic Therapy)

This book is the first volume of the "Psychosomatic Therapy" series. The book is developed in two parts. Part A consists of 8 chapters. In the first chapter, a historical review is attempted, from primitive societies up to the present day, concerning the philosophical and medical considerations that were applied regarding the nature of humans and the relationship between body and soul. The structure and function of the nervous system, brain and endocrine system are also described. The second chapter focuses on the study of the two most prevalent health models of Western Medicine, the biomedical and the biopsychosocial models, while special reference and analysis are made to psychosomatic medicine and the holistic approach to patients with psychosomatic diseases which is mainly used today. The third chapter examines in detail the main theoretical interpretations attributed to psychosomatic disorders, in the context of their psychogenesis. The way in which the theoretical background and methodology of psychosomatic investigation is still being shaped today is reflected in the neurobiological approach, the biopsychosocial approach, the psychoanalytic theory, the cognitive-behavioral approach, the theory of anxiety, as well as in the theory of family systems and the maternal-infant emotional bonding theory. In chapter four, the enigmatic concept of somatization is described, and a historical trajectory of its emergence is attempted, as well as the description of its association with Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine. In this context, an attempt is made to understand somatization from the perspective of psychoanalytic theory, by analyzing important concepts such as those of primary depression and utilitarian thinking. In addition, the types of somatization are presented, distinguished according to deficiencies at the mental level, as well as cultural factors, which also play a key role in the onset of somatization. In chapter five, the group of somatoform disorders is presented. Their clinical diagnostic criteria, symptomatology, prevalence, and differential diagnosis are also mentioned. Furthermore, the etiology of somatoform disorders is described, as well as the two main psychotherapeutic approaches followed for their treatment, the cognitive-behavioral approach and the psychoanalytic approach. In the next chapter, anxiety as a characteristic - distinguishing it from stress - is described, the etiological approaches to its manifestation are presented, and the organic, psychological, cognitive, as well as the emotional and psychosomatic reactions of the individual in stressful situations are analyzed. Its predisposing factors are also described, with emphasis on the individual’s life events and their resilience to stress. In chapter seven, the concept of personality is approached and its correlation with the occurrence of specific psychosomatic disorders is described, as well as the theoretical models for its interpretation. Key personality characteristics associated with psychosomatic diseases - such as Type A, Type C, and Type D personalities - are analyzed, and personality profiles for each somatic disease are described separately. In chapter eight, the idiosyncratic characteristics manifested by psychosomatic patients are discussed, focusing on their basic emotions. The importance of the demographic factors that shape the patients’ behavior - such as culture, gender, and age - is also addressed, and lastly, reference is made to the attitude of these individuals towards the meaning of life and its overall association with mental health. The Part B of the book looks into pain as a psychosomatic symptom and presents the main psychotherapeutic approaches to the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.