Psychosomatic Medicine: Emerging Trends and Perspectives

Abstract

Developments have occurred in all aspects of psychosomatic medicine. Among factors affecting individual vulnerability to all types of disease, the following have been highlighted by recent research: recent and early life events, chronic stress and allostatic load, personality, psychological well-being, health attitudes and behavior. As to the interaction between psychological and biological factors in the course and outcome of disease, the presence of psychiatric (DSM-IV) as well as subclinical (Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research) symptoms, illness behavior and the impact on quality of life all need to be assessed. The prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of physical illness include the consideration for psychosomatic prevention, the treatment of psychiatric morbidity and abnormal illness behavior and the use of psychotropic drugs in the medically ill. In the past 60 years, psychosomatic medicine has addressed some fundamental questions, contributing to the growth of other related disciplines, such as psychoneuroendocrinology, psychoimmunology, consultation-liaison psychiatry, behavioral medicine, health psychology and quality of life research. Psychosomatic medicine may also provide a comprehensive frame of reference for several current issues of clinical medicine (the phenomenon of somatization, the increasing occurrence of mysterious symptoms, the demand for well-being and quality of life), including its new dialogue with mind-body and alternative medicine.

Well - Being Therapy (WBT) for Depression

“…Most researches focus on the psychotherapeutic strategies, which lead to decline in symptoms of a disorder. It is found to be impressive for cognitive behavioral therapies (Fava & Sonino, 2000). This situation has been changing since the advent of positive psychology.…”

Contribuciones de la Medicina Psicosomática a la Medicina Clínica y Preventiva

“…De acuerdo con la definición original de Lipowski (1986) y sus desarrollos posteriores (Fava & Sonino, 2000, la MP puede ser definida como un marco comprehensivo, interdisciplinar, para: a) la evaluación de factores psicosociales implicados en la vulnerabilidad individual, el curso y los resultados de cualquier tipo de enfermedad; b) la consideración holística de la asistencia clínica; y c) la integración de las intervenciones psicológicas en el campo de la prevención, tratamiento y rehabilitación de las enfermedades médicas.…”

“…Su contexto de acción es la clínica y se ocupa de las condiciones psiquiátricas comórbidas de pacientes con enfermedades médicas (Wise, 2000). La MP es, por definición, multidisciplinar (Fava & Sonino, 2000Lipowski, 1986). No se limita al campo de la Psiquiatría, sino que interesa a cualquier otro sector médico.…”

“…La atención clínica mejoraría significativamente si la evaluación médica incluyera variables de carácter psicosocial, en particular el estrés (Fava & Sonino, 2000;Kissen, 1963;McEwen, 2007;Novack et al, 2007), pero también otros muchos factores psicosociales implicados en la vulnerabilidad a la enfermedad (Kroenke, 2002). Algunos factores, como las conductas de salud o el bienestar psicológico, no sólo se asocian a la prevención o a la mejora de la enfermedad sino que, además, promueven la salud (Ruini & Fava, 2013).…”

The role of the psychiatrist in obtaining informed consent from patients with somatic and mental comorbidity: Report of one case

“…The nature of mental disorders, the attitudes and prejudices of social community towards psychiatric patients, the behavior and treatment of mental patients, all bring about numerous dilemmas and challenges. However, the biggest problems in clinical practice occur in the treatment of patients who beside their mental disorder also have a somatic disease [1][2][3][4] . Numerous psychological reactions have been noticed in patients during hospital treatment.…”