Mental health has a great influence on a person’s physical health, and sometimes physical complaints stem directly from a mental problem. The close connection between the body and the psyche is also evidenced by the simple fact that when nervous, sweaty hands or a rapid pulse are common. It was this connection that Sigmund Freud emphasized in his works. His psychoanalytic theory became the basis of a new field of science, psychosomatic medicine. Psychosomatic medicine studies and explains the connection between the body and the psyche. One of its main postulates is that mental processes are no different from physiological processes. The only difference is that mental processes are experienced subjectively.
Headache, diarrhea, dry mouth – this is a list of symptoms that appear in a stressful situation. Accordingly, the emotional situation causes physical changes. When the emotional situation passes, the physical symptoms also disappear, although not always. Psychoanalytic studies have shown that prolonged emotional conflict can lead to chronic physical disorders. For Freud, conversion hysteria is precisely such a conflict, in which certain emotions are repressed into the unconscious and cannot be adequately released, resulting in chronic tension and physical symptoms.
Psychosomatic medicine attributes physical illness and/or complaints to psychosomatics. For example, a person may become ill when they have to make a rash decision, develop acne when they want attention, increase their appetite when they are emotionally frustrated, etc. Therefore, a person’s mental processes, emotional state, and psychological difficulties affect their physical state.
It is important to note that not only emotional and psychological factors affect physical health, but physical health also has an emotional and psychological impact on a person. Objectively caused physical distress causes a corresponding problem in a person’s emotional state, especially if this distress is very disturbing and/or chronic in intensity. At this time, a person is emotionally depressed, the condition affects self-esteem, motivation and their quality of life.
Studies show that a mental illness such as depression is closely related to the following physical complaints: weakening/alteration of the immune system, cardiovascular diseases. Mood problems cause or exacerbate asthma and allergies.
Studies also show that patients with schizophrenia often have the following physical problems: cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, osteoporosis, etc.
Mental disorders can cause the following physical illnesses:
- Gastrointestinal disorders
- Appetite and eating disorders (anorexia; bulimia; nausea nervosa; esophageal neurosis, etc.)
- Digestive system disorders (e.g. peptic ulcer)
- Respiratory system diseases (bronchial asthma)
- Cardiovascular diseases (tachycardia and arrhythmia)
- Skin diseases
- Sexual function disorders
- Endocrine system disorders (thyrotoxicosis)
- Joint and skeletal muscle diseases
- Excretory function disorders (chronic diarrhea; ulcerative colitis; psychogenic chronic constipation)
Treatment
Treatment is carried out both pharmacologically and through psychotherapeutic work.
The selection of pharmacological treatment is carried out after the identification of the problems. At this time, it is important to check the complaints with a doctor to rule out other problems.
Psychotherapeutic intervention works according to various psychotherapeutic models. Psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral therapy, Gestalt therapy, and others.