PSYCHOSOMATIC ILLNESS

Sometimes, the mind causes the body to create physical symptoms or to make a physical illness worse. This is a psychosomatic illness. These are real symptoms, which begin, continue, or are made worse because of emotional factors. Emotions can make an illness worse or can make it come back after it has been controlled. An example of this is a person with diabetes, high blood pressure, colitis, or asthma. The way that someone experiences stress can make his or her illness worse.

Styles of coping with stress can affect medical problems. There is a close connection between our bodies and our minds. If a person is under a lot of stress, it may affect a medical condition. It is important that both the stress and the medical problem are treated. If a person has a history of heart problems, medications and surgery may not be as important in the long run as diet, exercise, and stress management.

A person may have a part of the body in which their discomfort is most common, such as the back. An example of this would be someone who gets a backache when stressed.

If you are concerned about this kind of problem, discuss it with your healthcare provider. It is important to seek appropriate medical treatment. Counseling or therapy with a mental health professional can help people with this problem. Exercise, relaxation and stress reduction therapies are helpful. In some cases, a technique called biofeedback may be helpful. This is another way of teaching you to slow your heart rate and breathing to facilitate relaxation.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

HIL File MENT3166.RF2 VRS# 6759 Data Version 7.0