Chronic immune-type disease manifested by inflammation of the joints. It affects 1%, between 20-50 years and over women (3: 1). Alexander, included rheumatoid arthritis among the 7 psychosomatic disorders more important. First investigations: They hypothesized the existence of an arthritic personality: depression, hostility, compulsiveness and restricted emotional expression. No subsequent empirical evidence.
The inconsistencies in the results are justified for 3 reasons:
- The retrospective nature of the studies.
- Lack of validity of the control groups (it would be more appropriate to go to the clinical context).
- Difficulty supporting a typical personality profile (great heterogeneity predominates in patients with rheumatic disease).
There is some agreement about the onset and worsening of the disease, they are influenced by stressful events (major frequency of vital events among the sick) It seems that the minor stressors predict better than the major ones, the fluctuations of the disease. Rimon and Laakso, identified 2 types of rheumatoid arthritis:
- Stress-related: Rapid onset, change in severity of symptoms, and absence of family rheumatic history.
- Detached from stress: Genetic load. Slow onset, constancy in the severity of symptoms and high family incidence.
Infectious diseases
Disorders caused by viruses, bacteria, or fungi. The relationship between stress and infectious problems is established in a similar way to the relationship between stress and immune functioning -> Psychosocial stress reduces resistance to these diseases. The first disease in which a psychological component was postulated was tuberculosis:
- Ishigami: In tuberculosis patients, phagocytic activity was decreased during stressful situations. emotional -> Vital events deteriorate immune function, increasing susceptibility to tuberculosis.
- Holmes et al: They observed an increase in stressful events (changes of residence or work), during the 2 years prior to hospitalization for tuberculosis.
Studies have associated adverse psychological situations with the onset of mild and severe infections of the tract respiratory: Meyer and Haggerty: In children with a high degree of family stress, respiratory infections increased due to streptococcus. The most severe respiratory infections occurred in children with high stress levels. Certain factors could contribute to vulnerability to infectious diseases. Type 1 individuals have severe and mild infections more often. Experimental virus inoculation.
Stone et al: Examined the influence of factors psychosocial in the incidence of acute respiratory diseases -> Subjects subjected to a greater number of positive and negative life events, during the year prior to the study, were more susceptible.
Cohen et al: The most susceptible subjects were those who obtained higher scores in 3 measures associated with stress: frequency of major life events, negative affect and perception of stress. In the case of mononucleosis and herpes simplex, the results are conflicting and unsatisfactory. Explanations:
- That the reduction of immune competence produced by stress-associated neuroendocrine alterations is responsible for the increased vulnerability to infectious diseases.
- Jemmot and Locke: Stress can be associated with changes in certain behavior habits that, in themselves, they could weaken immunity and increase susceptibility to problems infectious.
Cohen and Williamson have proposed 2 different models that attempt to explain the implication of stress in the initiation and maintenance of Infectious processes: Changes in the immune system are considered common to both processes of initiation and progression of infections
Multiple factors intervene as mediators: Direct CNS-immune innervation.
Hormone releases. Behavioral patterns of the subjects that lead to unhealthy practices (tobacco, bad eating, insomnia). In the beginning, it can be produced by exposure to certain pathogens, at which time coping strategies play a relevant role:
The individual uses a greater number of social interactions to cushion stress -> Increases the possibility of exposure to pathogens -> Development of the disease. Progression can be directly influenced by stress (not mediated by the immune system) on the tissue involved in the disease, in 3 ways:
- Endocrine system pathway: Release of hormones (cortisol) that increases mucosal secretion.
- Changes in health practices: Increased level of tobacco that irritates nasal and lung tissue.
- Failure to adhere: Lack of cooperation to follow a treatment.
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.
