Psychosomatic disorder is a mental illness that manifests in physical symptoms, frequently without medical explanation. It can affect any area of the human body. In most cases, people with psychosomatic conditions do not report apparent signs of mental illness. Instead, they assume that their health issues are to blame. As a result of their frequent visits to the doctor’s office for tests and treatments, patients may become dissatisfied and distressed.

What Is Psychosomatic Disorder?

Some patients with frequent psychosomatic symptoms develop somatic symptom disorder due to being preoccupied with these symptoms. According to the American Psychiatric Association, experiencing psychosomatic symptoms sometimes does not indicate that you have the condition. Somatic symptom disorder requires “excessive thoughts, feelings, and actions related to the physical symptoms” to be properly diagnosed.

Causes of Psychosomatic Illness

Researchers aren’t sure exactly how stress works, but they know it may cause bodily symptoms like pain and disease. To make things easier, here’s an analogy.

Think of your body in the same way you would a pressure cooker. Ventilation is the key to it working effectively. The lid will eventually blow off if steam cannot be released due to the mounting pressure. In this scenario, consider that the pressure cooker is already at a high level and that you have to apply even more pressure to hold the lid in place. When the container’s weakest point can no longer hold in any more pressure, it will break.

Stress-related diseases are more likely to develop in areas of your body that are already weak, like the pressure cooker’s most vulnerable spot. Stressed people who are unable or unwilling to express their feelings may ultimately reach a point of emotional exhaustion. Physical symptoms or a significant depressive episode might be the outcome.

Signs Of Psychosomatic Pain

Psychosomatic symptoms include a wide range of indications and symptoms. To fully appreciate the significance of psychosomatic signs and disorders, it is necessary to grasp two fundamental principles:

There is no one-size-fits-all treatment for psychosomatic symptoms, and your symptoms may fluctuate radically over time.

Until your doctor has ruled out all other possible reasons, you cannot be positive that a condition is psychosomatic. For this reason, you must rule out any underlying medical disorders before considering any psychosomatic ones. These symptoms are among the most prevalent in psychosomatic illness:

• Constipation
• Gas
• Diarrhea
• Rapid heartbeat
• Chest pain
• Nausea
• Shortness of breath
• Increase in blood pressure

Treatment for Psychosomatic Illness

You may be referred to a mental health practitioner for psychosomatic pain relief, but that doesn’t indicate that your physical problems require just psychological care. It is essential to develop the ability to cope with stress, but it might take time. In the interim, your doctor may prescribe medication, mindfulness, or cognitive therapy to manage your physical pain and other symptoms. There are a few things you can do to help yourself:

• Taking a short walk each day might help alleviate tension and allow it to reflect on your feelings.
• Writing in a journal is a terrific method to securely and freely explore your emotions.
• When you start to feel stressed, you may learn to relax your nervous system through meditation and breathing exercises.
• Speaking with trustworthy loved ones can provide an avenue for expressing emotions and generating constructive strategies for handling relationships or challenging situations.

Bottom Line

People who suffer from psychosomatic symptoms, especially if they persist or interfere with their daily activities, may feel helpless and hopeless. Even if your symptoms are purely psychological, you should still take them seriously and take good care of yourself.