Psychosomatics Of The Skin: Treatment With A Doctor And Psychologist

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Video: Psychosomatics Of The Skin: Treatment With A Doctor And Psychologist

Video: Psychosomatics Of The Skin: Treatment With A Doctor And Psychologist
Video: Psychodermatology: More Than Skin Deep | Linda Papadopoulos | TEDxUniversityofManchester 2024, March
Psychosomatics Of The Skin: Treatment With A Doctor And Psychologist
Psychosomatics Of The Skin: Treatment With A Doctor And Psychologist
Anonim

One of the advantages of being a psychologist is a good understanding of what psychosomatics really is. In fact, these are physiological changes against the background of certain emotional states that have a strong intensity or duration. If we also look at it from the point of view of psychotherapy (in my case, transactional analysis), let us learn fixation in the Child's ego state and internal conflict. I write more about this point of view in the article "Psychosomatics: A View from Transactional Analysis".

I understand that it is extremely important for people reading this to receive information on the treatment of the psychosomatic component of skin diseases. But it is important for you to realize that there is no universal magic recipe in psychotherapy. For each individual case, you need your own algorithm of actions.

Working for any request about psychosomatics for me involves 4 components:

  1. Medical diagnostics (dermatologist, endocrinologist and gynecologist / urologist).
  2. Repeated collection of anamnesis of life and illness by a psychotherapist or psychologist.
  3. Elimination of an acute condition (exacerbation) with the help of a dermatologist
  4. Psychotherapy.

Let's be clear on each step. I will talk about why this is in my practice. But I'm sure my colleagues would agree.

MEDICAL DIAGNOSTICS

I insist that you bring me, in addition to your thoughts on the root of the problem, also the conclusion of specialized doctors. Since I work with the body, and one symptom can speak of a dozen diseases, I must know exactly what we are dealing with and what is accompanied by it. In addition, as a person with medical education, I have an idea of diseases and their characteristics.

Usually, a written opinion from the above doctors is sufficient. Sometimes doctors even refer their patients to me with a detailed statement. But so far, alas, this is a great rarity.

What will the knowledge of your diagnosis give me?

Some diseases are genetic in nature, some are endocrine, others are a reaction to something at the current time. All three groups have a different psychosomatic history, different causes and different decisions.

I prefer to work in collaboration with a doctor. Since the doctor himself is not available, I am in contact with his notes and appointments.

For the patient, some concomitant symptoms may be insignificant, which will complement his psychosomatic picture of the disease. The psychologist can note important symptoms outside the skin that will complement the story.

I also ask the patient to take a snapshot of the health condition every 2-3 months. This is how we track performance and progress.

RECOVERY ANAMNESIS

It's not that I don't trust previous specialists, it's just that there are psychological aspects and lifestyle features that a non-psychologist simply won't notice. Again, not because he is a bad specialist, but because it is not obvious and generally not his competence. And if he found these aspects and features - what will he do with this information?:-)

In particular, I am interested in such details:

  • how periods of exacerbations differ from the rest in terms of events, relationships, well-being;
  • when and how there was a suspicion that it was a psychosomatics of the skin, and not a common disease;
  • at what age the symptoms appeared;
  • how each individual patient feels, experiences emotions and what he does with intense feelings;
  • how communication was built in the parental family;
  • how the parental family is used to dealing with feelings;
  • how relationships are built with their family and / or others;
  • how a person deals with his needs and desires;
  • what a person does under stress.

What do I do with this information?

As I wrote in the article "Psychosomatics of the Skin: Causes and Effects", the psychosomatic component of skin diseases is based on an internal conflict. From the point of view of transactional analysis, in which I practice, a conflict develops between one's own needs, emotions and feelings (the ego state of the Child), and the learned rules of behavior and patterns of behavior (the ego state of the Parent). Following the needs of the Inner Child will lead to increased internal criticism (response from the Parent), and abandoning them in favor of rules of conduct will lead to increased dissatisfaction. And so and so - internal tension, stress and the corresponding physiological changes.

In the process of work (psychotherapeutic work will be discussed below), we raise internal conflicts and find their constructive solution (from the Adult). In addition, we find a way to calm the Inner Child and satisfy the Parent's demands.

ELIMINATION OF THE ACUTE CONDITION

One way or another, skin problems are only half psychosomatics. For the second half, this is one of three:

  1. Disruption of the gastrointestinal tract, in particular intestinal problems.
  2. Hormonal imbalance (often in terms of sex hormones).
  3. Intoxication of the body and violation of the filtration function of the liver.

After consulting an endocrinologist, gynecologist / urologist and gastroenterologist, the attending physician (most likely a dermatologist) should prescribe a course of treatment. And it is extremely important that the patient understood that the therapist is not a substitute for fulfilling the doctor's prescriptions. He complements them.

Usually we go to the doctor when the painful condition has worsened and brings either pain or severe discomfort on a moral level. And this is the very state that needs to be stabilized before starting psychotherapy. What for? Yes, if only because the state of health will get better. You don't have to suffer while we calm your inner turmoil. It is much easier and more effective to soothe them when you focus on working through your experience rather than the itch or pain.

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Now let's get down to what a psychotherapist or psychologist can help with. Perhaps I'll start with the fact that I consider medical education to be really important for working with psychosomatics. If this is not 6 years of university, then at least courses in medicine + courses in psychosomatics.

So, the tasks of a therapist or psychologist in the treatment of skin psychosomatics (and any other) are as follows:

  • Psychodiagnostics of personality - in the method of transactional analysis, this is the analysis of the structure of the personality, the search for fixations, the study of driver behavior and other methods.
  • The definition of dominant internal conflicts is the definition of the conflict of internal needs with the prohibitions on their satisfaction.
  • Working with the living of closed emotions - there are many deep techniques for living your experience and allowing yourself to any feelings, techniques for healing the trauma of the Inner Child and the formation of new solutions and strategies of behavior.
  • Learning the skills to safely and effectively deal with your emotions is about finding alternative ways to deal with emerging feelings instead of digesting them internally.
  • Elimination of automatic response mechanisms - automatic mechanisms need to be brought to the level of awareness and transferred to the category of many options.
  • Motivation and bringing awareness to the treatment process - fears, fears, doubts, faith in the healing process and the formation of patience and stable motivation for recovery are being worked out. Working out the relationship with the doctor.
  • Clarification and correction of the internal picture of the disease - providing the necessary information about the disease, the process of treatment, prospects for recovery, lifestyle features to maintain a stable remission.

Each stage takes time and changes, alas, do not come instantly. Changing ingrained destructive mechanisms is very difficult, since they are a kind of comfort zone. And trust in the therapist at the level of honest emotions is not formed in one session. Each area of psychology has its own algorithms of work. And each is tailored to its own type of Client and process.

Working with me involves three stages:

  1. The research stage is the collection and analysis of anamnesis. At this stage, we clarify important details and raise important facts of your life, eliminate gaps in understanding. At the research stage, we also consider the structure of the personality,
  2. The stage of therapy - here we raise the internal processes and resolve them on the spot, eliminating the internal conflict and gradually working through the trauma.
  3. The stage of developing the skill of symptom control. Once we have found the cause and patterns, it is important to gain alternative response and living skills. This will eliminate stress flare-ups.

How long does a psychosomatic skin treatment take? It all depends on you and on what is your rate of internal activity. In my practice, treatment can take from six months to two years. In particularly difficult cases, I recommend that you periodically receive supportive consultations after the end of therapy.

This is how I see the correct psychosomatic skin treatment and practice it in my work. If you have any questions, I am glad to see them below and in private messages. Perhaps you would like to try to solve your skin problems with my help? Then I invite you for a consultation!

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