A chronic cough, persistent recurring pain, or simply feeling unwell in certain situations? And all of this without doctors being able to find any physical causes for the symptoms? Then it stands to reason: This is a case for a specialist in psychosomatics and psychotherapy!
Physical, mental, and social factors always interact when it comes to our health. But this interplay can also be decisive in the context of illness. Humanity has known this for a very long time, but as a recognized medical specialty, psychosomatics is still young: in Germany, it has only existed since 1992.
Because the psyche and the soma—the mind and the body—are closely interconnected, medical professionals refer to the biopsychosocial model. Psychosomatics, therefore, focuses on these connections and interactions: it combines psychotherapeutic and physical treatment methods, which also require personal responsibility.
What is psychosomatics / psychosomatic medicine?
Psychosomatics, or psychosomatic medicine, is based on the assumption that emotional (psychological) imbalances or mental disorders can affect the body and its functions.
Over time, this leads to actual signs of illness—known as symptoms—of a physical (somatic) condition. Psychosomatic medicine seeks to treat the underlying psychological factors using a multifactorial approach drawn from the field of psychotherapy.
If this is successful, the patient will eventually be symptom-free or, at the very least, experience less severe symptoms of their respective psychosomatic disorder.
What conditions are treated by specialists in psychosomatic medicine?
Specialists in psychosomatic medicine primarily treat mental health conditions that are very often identified as the triggers for physical symptoms. These primarily include, for example,
- anxiety disorders,
- burnout syndrome,
- chronic facial pain,
- chronic headaches,
- chronic back pain,
- as well as depression and
- fibromyalgia, which is more common in women and manifests as recurring, diffuse pain in the joints, skin, bones, and muscles.
In addition, psychosomatic medicine is helpful in treating personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, somatoform disorders, somatoform pain disorders, and stress-related illnesses.
In cases of depression, nonspecific physical symptoms frequently occur @ MP Studio /AdobeStock
What diagnostic methods do psychosomatic specialists use?
Diagnosing psychosomatic disorders is not always easy. The symptoms cannot be physically identified based on measurable changes. As a result, many patients have already consulted several specialists, who may have used the following diagnostic procedures:
- Long-term blood pressure monitoring
- Lung function test
- Medical-neurological examination
- Resting, stress, or long-term ECG
- Ultrasound
Mental disorders that may be potential underlying causes are not immediately apparent. In many cases, the psychosomatic specialist must then determine the exact origin of the disorder through anamnesis sessions. To this end, psychosomatic medicine uses the following criteria in its assessment:
- Medical history to explore the patient’s life and medical history
- Assessment of current stressors, psychosocial resources, and potential solutions
- Psychological tests
- Behavioral analysis/psychodynamic diagnosis
What treatments and therapies are used in psychosomatic medicine?
If the cause is identified as originating in the patient’s psyche, the psychosomatic specialist has various tools at their disposal to either cure the condition or—as is the case in most instances—make the condition manageable and thereby reduce its physical effects.
Such methods of self-reflection and autosuggestion include, for example, talk therapy or autogenic training. Psychoanalysis followed by behavioral therapy may also be attempted. This is a particularly suitable psychosomatic approach for anxiety disorders and trauma.
Talk therapy helps with psychosomatic symptoms @ WavebreakmediaMicro /AdobeStock
Which medical specialists focus on psychosomatics?
A specialist in psychosomatics and psychotherapy is the go-to professional for all psychosomatically related conditions. In addition, there are also specialized psychological psychotherapists, specialists in psychiatry and psychotherapy, as well as a number of practitioners qualified in body-oriented psychotherapy.
In addition to therapists in private practice, specialists in psychosomatics are primarily found in specialized psychosomatic clinics.
