Psychosomatic illness
Psychosomatic Illness
Psychosomatic illness (pronunciation: /ˌsaɪkoʊsəˈmætɪk ˈɪlnəs/) is a type of physical disease that is thought to be caused or made worse by mental factors, such as stress and anxiety. The term "psychosomatic" comes from the Greek words "psyche" (mind) and "soma" (body), indicating the mind-body connection in these types of illnesses.
Etymology
The term "psychosomatic" was first used in the 19th century to describe the connection between the mind (psyche) and body (soma). It is derived from the Greek words "psyche" meaning mind, and "soma" meaning body.
Related Terms
- Stress: A state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances. Stress can often exacerbate psychosomatic illnesses.
- Anxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. Like stress, anxiety can also worsen psychosomatic illnesses.
- Somatoform disorder: A mental disorder characterized by physical symptoms that suggest physical illness or injury, but which cannot be explained fully by a general medical condition. Psychosomatic illness is a type of somatoform disorder.
- Conversion disorder: A mental condition in which a person has blindness, paralysis, or other nervous system (neurologic) symptoms that cannot be explained by medical evaluation. Conversion disorder is considered a type of psychosomatic illness.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Psychosomatic illness
- Wikipedia's article - Psychosomatic illness
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