Diagnosing Psychosomatic Situations

摘要: Since Franz Alexander (1950) gave prominence to the Holy Seven Psychosomatic Diseases, field of psychosomatic medicine has come a long way. While Alexander’s emphasis on essential hypertension, thyrotoxicosis, bronchial asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, and neurodermatitis may have been inadvertent, it nevertheless established in minds several generations physicians that these were diseases, while implying other diseases not so or less so. Their designation as which psychological determinants could be identified implied they treated by psychotherapy. Although there are some studies suggesting at stages individuals specific circumstances can ameliorated if cured with psychodynamically oriented psychotherapy, overwhelming success this approach (Karush, Daniels, O’Connor, et al., 1969). work is perhaps more notable his identification factors involved precipitation disease processes. His occurrence an environmental event proximal onset invaluable concept for those us studying treating disease. It hypothesis motivates much research psychiatry today (Holmes & Rahe, 1967; Paykel, Prusoff, Uhlenhuth, 1971). further suggestion serving precipitate reevokes latent, unresolved conflicts derived from early infantile childhood experience remains intriguing hypothesis. The idea nature conflict specificity process difficult substantiate. Nevertheless, continued intrigue researchers over past quarter century (Engel, 1956; Nemiah Sifneos, 1964).