Not All Diseases Are From The Brain, And Not Even 75%

2024 Author: Harry Day | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 15:43

As a child, we played the following game: "Imagine that everything that you see exists only at the moment when you look at it. He closed his eyes, turned away and everything disappeared, opened - it returned …". At least this explains why we perceive the same things and phenomena in different ways) Indeed, in order to find a connection between psychology and any phenomenon in the environment, you do not need to work especially, since everything that happens in this world occurs in the perception of a person, in his psyche.

Recently, in my notes, I often write that not all diseases should be considered as psychologically provoked, because "sometimes bananas are just bananas." In my opinion, this is important because in this area we begin to approach the unpleasant point of no return, as in the parable of the little shepherd. By the time the real wolves arrived, those around them were already indifferent to the cries for help. This is happening more and more often in our country. For many, the ineffectiveness of popular psychosomatics has become so commonplace that in really difficult situations people simply refuse psychotherapy and other qualified assistance, incl. medical (doctors are not needed, since all diseases are from the brain). In milder cases, this leads to the transition of diseases to a chronic form, in more complicated cases, everything can end in both psychopathology and disability or fatal outcome in the practice of cases of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, oncology, etc.

Not so long ago, I attended a seminar by a respected specialist in psychosomatics, where a strange infographic attracted attention. It said that "about 30% of cases of treatment in somatic practice are psychosomatic. According to the results of various studies in different countries, the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates the frequency of psychosomatic cases from 38 to 42%. One way or another, according to various sources there is a percentage of 75 to 90%. " But what kind of sources "one way or another" the speaker himself found it difficult to answer, they got into a conversation. After all, it turns out that more than half of the cases of the so-called "psychosomatics" do not have any official confirmation? Are they not exactly those artificially constructed elements, due to the fact that any process in a person as an integral structure can be considered as psychosomatics?

Let's think together, it is written that 75% of diseases are from the brain. And 75 percent is how many diseases and what? Why exactly 75 and not 73 or 78? Where can you find a scientifically based description of the psychological etiology of these diseases? Do you mean the classification by systems and organs, or is each individual diagnosis considered? Was the research carried out for each individual diagnosis or for a group of diagnoses? And by whom and where, on what sample, and if it was done, why is WHO not in the know? And most importantly, if it is known that 75% of diseases have a psychological cause, then 25% have already been proven not to have it. But what kind of diseases are they? Where can you find these 25% of diagnoses that are certainly not psychosomatic? Or is it the percentage for all diagnoses in the case where psychotherapy failed)?

In addition, how often do we forget that psychosomatic disorders in 50% of cases are caused directly by the disease itself (half, because any identified disorder has a border before and after)? So, for example, as we say, there is oncopsychology, and there is psycho-oncology, and the difference is not in using the term to excel, but in the fact that one of the sections studies which psychological elements could contribute to the development of the disease itself, and the other, how in the process of illness and treatment, a person's character, his mental state, quality of life, etc., have changed.

Using the term "psychosomatic" we understand that the mutual influence of the physical on the psychological and vice versa occurs in our body continuously and continuously … I wrote in more detail about this and what is included in the scientific definition of psychosomatics in the article "Psychosomatics" - this is not what you just thought! On the masks of "psychosomatics", norm and pathology If you do not follow the generally accepted algorithms, then if you wish, you can find a psychosomatic trace in anything. I lost my body fluid, a signal "I want to drink" went to the brain, the person poured water and drank - 100% healthy psychosomatics. I was too lazy to get up at night, did not drink, the body experienced a lack of fluid, something was dry, exfoliated or hardened and thickened - pathology. But do you need to look for a trace of the hand of psychosomatics in everything, or just drink when you want to drink? I went out into the street, slipped, broke down - I was overtired and scattered attention and impaired coordination - psychosomatics. And if the sole was studded or rubberized, would it help to be more attentive or coordinated to prevent psychosomatics? Got into a minibus - got into an accident - when the situation does not depend on you at all. I bought a product on the train with a normal shelf life, but in violation of storage conditions. You ride the subway, not your personal transport, etc. There are a great many situations where any "non-psychosomatics" can be turned into psychosomatics. Question one - Why? The connection between stress and many diseases is obvious, nevertheless, stress is something that happens to us all the time, many times a day, but not everyone and not everyone gets sick. Obviously, prolonged stress suppresses the immune system, but it is also suppressed by sleep, dryness and unhealthy diet, etc., why then the psychological factor is preferred?

When a patient's leg is removed, and he is experiencing "in it" wild pain. When the vegetative circle closes and the more fear, the greater the load on the heart, and the greater the load on the heart, the greater the fear. When there are no litter or conflicts, you eat normally, your tests are good, you have a healthy lifestyle, your family, and half of your body is on fire. When I lost weight I became gloomy, all in spasms and pains, and the doctors "did not find anything." When you live normally, everything is fine, everything is going well, but every now and then you have bleeding and an ulcer out of the blue. Or you sleep, work - at home - children - rest - friends and from hour to hour to three days from morning to evening you sleep under the bathroom, because nothing from a headache helps … Such cases are most often included in those +/- 38- 42% of what is called psychosomatics (and in this percentage there are not only diseases, but also disorders, such as bladder neurosis). If you begin to see "signs" in everything, then any neurosis can develop into more complex psychological disorders.

From my clients, I have heard many different versions of why they believe that their disease or disorder has a psychosomatic basis. If you suspect psychosomatics in yourself, try to determine why it is important for you that this disease is psychosomatic?

Perhaps someone is afraid to go to the doctor, is afraid of manipulation, or simply does not like medical institutions? Or do you want to influence someone close to you in this way, appealing to what you have been brought to? Perhaps you want to change something in your life, but do not see objective reasons and incentives to start changing? Or are you afraid to miss something "important", are you afraid of some diseases, etc.? Maybe you are just interested to try yourself in something new, to get acquainted with the direction, to learn more from a psychologist? Or does someone oblige you to confirm your mental state with a "specialist opinion"? Isn't there a feeling of guilt and self-punishment hidden behind your ideas (I lived wrong and acted badly, but here is a sign and now I will correct myself)? Etc.

Depending on what is behind your suspicions, you may need completely different specialists. At first glance, it seems that all this is psychosomatics, but sometimes it is enough to visit a doctor, especially if you broke something, dislocated, pinched, stretched, cut or pierced, if you were in the zone of radiation or viral exposure, if you were in contact in one way or another with an excessive amount of bacteria (even if you have eaten something after a sick child), etc. There are situations when it is better to turn to a priest or try yourself in esoteric practices, becausethe psychologist will not give you ready-made answers to the questions "why we live and what happens to us after" (unless we are talking about an Orthodox psychologist or an existentialist). And sometimes a nanny, a lawyer, or a social worker is actually needed.

Of course, you can contact a psychologist with absolutely any question. Even if you just want to understand psychosomatics or not) Just in this case, I want to draw attention to why our expectations differ so much from each other and why the result is so different.

I will try to exaggerately prescribe an example of how the same symptomatology can be interpreted in different ways.

Symptom: pain in the "abdomen", cramps or cramps, impaired stool, impaired appetite, etc

1. When collecting anamnesis: food - cola / chips, sandwiches, convenience foods, more often before bedtime, because in the afternoon "we live on coffee". Most likely, a person has gastritis, which is caused by improper diet. Will stress factor play a role here? Why not, maybe. A person does not have time to eat normally, most likely he is busy with work, his family may be dysfunctional, etc. Do you need a psychosomatics specialist in this case? Most probably not. If he is examined by a gastroenterologist, he is treated and organizes a normal diet for himself, he will be healthy. Here is the leading role doctor, a psychologist (coach or trainer) can help in the event that a person cannot force himself to be examined, adhere to a diet, organize his own schedule, etc. There are most such cases, they are helped by everything, including popular psychosomatics.

2. A person has a normal diet, a normal family, etc. But suddenly the boss changes and at work three skins start to tear from him (or teachers change at school). Each time a person experiences stress, lives in tension, hormonal balance is shattered, immunity is at its limit, not only the stomach suffers, the whole body suffers, including the heart and kidneys. Even cramps and colic may not be stomachic at all. Do you need a specialist in psychosomatics in this case? First of all, you need a doctor who will determine what actually suffered the most and how to treat it, and then the psychologist will help you figure out the reason and make a decision about how to proceed. This is the so-called. situational psychosomatic illness or disorder. In such cases, the reason most often lies on the surface and careful analysis will help to deal with it even with the help of introspection techniques (if a person does not know introspection techniques, then any psychologist will help him find the cause and deal with it).

But now the problems will begin.

3. Symptoms are present, the examination did not reveal anything, the person is really bad. In this case, most likely we are talking about the so-called. neurosis of the gastrointestinal tract or IBS. Medication and diet are ineffective, but antidepressants prescribed by a doctor help. So, if in the previous situation you can quit, agree or otherwise neutralize the stress factor, cure the diseased organ, then in the case of neurosis, in fact, there is nothing to treat (the organ is healthy), and the words "this is all your imagination, stop thinking and everything will pass" - cause even more frustration. And how to get rid of it? In this case, it is important to work with special psychologist (medical or clinical, or psychosomatic specialist). Figuratively, this can be called not a disease, but a violation of information recognition, a violation of the connection between the psyche and the body, metabolic disorders, etc. Neurotic disorders do not happen "suddenly", against the background of stress, etc., they always have some deep associated with many factors, including personality traits. In a psychological context, there is probably some kind of suppressed trauma, some kind of mental state that is so difficult for a person that by blocking certain memories or experiences, it simultaneously blocks the normal functioning of the nervous system. Physiologically, in order to suppress some processes, an excessive amount of certain hormones is produced, which in turn inhibits other centers and other hormones become insufficient. In particular, antidepressants do not raise mood, but in a sense give the brain the ability to adjust the correct production of neurotransmitters or make brain cells more receptive to the existing composition.

4. The noted symptomatology, manifested from case to case, may indicate one of the very common types of depression - "masked - somatized". These can be incoming and outgoing complaints. There is no conflict, there is no stress, the food is normal, except that the appetite is disturbed. Based on the totality of other diagnostic criteria, it is important to understand that this is not IBS or gastritis, but depression. Masked depressions are classified as suicidal, therefore their timely detection is so important.

Options 3-4 are combined work psychiatrist (psychotherapist) and special psychologistwhere the earlier the disorder is recognized, the better the prognosis.

5. Actually psychosomatics, what is better known under the generally accepted in medicine psychosomatosis, in the form of eg, gastric ulcer, etc. In this case, we are talking more often about hereditary and chronic diseases. Here we are talking about the fact that the disease is directly related to the character of a person, with his personality. Probably from here came the idea to identify diseases with wrong attitudes) In fact, people with "this" really have similarities in behavior, character, etc. But these are not similarities of diseases, not similarities of causes, but similarities of constitutional predisposition, which, depending on upbringing and the environment either self-corrects or, on the contrary, is aggravated. When we talk about the constitution, about what is given by nature and what we are not able to change, we understand that the same long-term stress, the same trouble strikes "different people in different organs" - where it is subtle, there and breaks. So the problem is not that a person does not digest something, does not let go or is afraid, but the problem is that his perception of the surrounding reality, his worldview stands on dysfunctional in his particular case attitudes (not the attitude itself is bad, namely fits) about how the world works, where is good, where is evil, who is bad, who is good, how to prove yourself, how to defend, how to react and interact with others, etc. It is very difficult to change the basic settings. However, if they are not changed, a person starts to get sick all the time, regardless of the quality of the drugs and the competence of the doctors. The problem here is not so much in specific reasons, but in who a person is in himself. In this case, deep psychotherapy … Drug therapy (psychiatrist) and psychological counseling are ineffective here.

It is certainly impossible to describe all the options in one note, but it seems to me that even with this, you can understand the difference in what may be behind the same symptomatology and which specialists can be more effective in solving certain issues. By and large, it is difficult to say in advance in absentia what symptoms are behind depression, neurosis, psychosomatics or a common illness. This requires a thorough diagnosis. Therefore, if we are not talking about psychosomatosis generally recognized by science, in order to figure out whether there is a psychosomatic component (a psychological or physical cause underlies the disease) or not, it is better to visit a doctor, establish a diagnosis and undergo a course of treatment. If doctors do not find anything, it is advisable to consult a psychiatrist (neuropsychiatrist or psychotherapist) and, in parallel, to a special psychologist.