Physical pain, no matter how intense, is always easier to deal with than emotional pain. This fact causes the appearance of the so-called pain disorder, in which the sufferer suffers from very intense pain in one or various areas of your body for which there is no medical explanation and which is usually caused by causes psychological. This is why pain disorder is included within the so-called somatoform disorders, it is that is, those in which the patient unconsciously transforms psychological symptoms into symptoms physical. Next we will talk about when emotional pain turns into physical.
In this disorder, the pain suffered by the patient is so acute that it interferes with his work, affective, social life, and so on. The most common pain suffered is that of head, abdomen, chest or back, although it can appear anywhere on the body.
It is important, however, to keep in mind that the pain these people feel is real, not feigned, unlike those who simply pretend to be sick. The pain is chronic and lasts for several months, and causes patients to be concerned or stressed about their pain, which helps them, unconsciously, to forget its true origin.
It is suspected that the pain has a psychological origin because it usually appears after a very stressful event for the person, and increases if stress level increases this. Another piece of evidence is that the patient obtains some benefit from her symptoms, such as the attention or affection of others, which he fears that he could not achieve otherwise.
The treatment is carried out through cognitive behavioral therapy to help patients improve pain. It is usually supplemented with antidepressant medications, and distraction techniques, relaxation exercises, and massages and physical therapy have also been shown to be effective.
This article is merely informative, in Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
