Psychosomatic Diseases: how Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help
What is Psychosomatic
Some people present physical symptoms without an identifiable cause in medical exams, which suggests that the origin of the problem may be linked to both the body and the mind. This reinforces the idea that health should be viewed not only from the biological side but also considering psychological factors, beliefs, and emotions of the patient.
Given this, the psychologist plays an important role in treating the emotional aspects of the disease. In this context, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is proposed as an effective approach to help in these cases. The study seeks to answer how CBT can contribute to the treatment of psychosomatic diseases.
The main hypothesis is that CBT, through cognitive restructuring, can assist in the treatment of these diseases, as mind and body are interconnected, and changes in thinking can positively influence physical health.
Human beings are influenced by the social and cultural environment from the beginning of their lives, constantly seeking to adapt to ensure their survival. Psychosomatics considers that health and disease are results of the balance or imbalance between biological, psychological, and social factors. Among these factors, the social aspect has a significant impact, as it influences behavior, self-perception, relationships, the way of thinking, emotions, and even the way the person deals with their own body.
Influence of stressful events
Stressful events are situations that the individual perceives as causing tension and that can contribute to the development of diseases. Throughout life, the experiences lived leave marks and influence both the body and the mind.
The organism is constantly adjusting to changes and challenges in the environment, which generates a continuous state of adaptation. Stress occurs when the organism feels threatened, triggering physical, psychological, and behavioral responses to deal with the situation.
Interference of emotions in Psychosomatics
The emotions we feel depend on how we interpret the events around us. The more importance we give to a situation, the stronger the emotion generated will be.
When a person has difficulty dealing with their emotions or processing them, emotional dysregulation occurs. This can happen in two ways:
- Very intense emotions, which can cause panic, extreme fear, or trauma, making the person feel overwhelmed and unable to deal with what they feel.
- Blocked or ignored emotions, making emotional processing difficult and leading to flight behavior or avoidance of certain situations.
How Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can help
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is based on the idea that thoughts influence emotions and behaviors, and that changes in the way of acting can impact thought patterns and feelings. Each person reacts in a unique way to situations, influenced by their life history and experiences.
Individuals with psychological suffering may have their perception of reality affected by cognitive distortions, which generates negative thought patterns. Developing more balanced thinking can improve this perception, reducing anguish and promoting well-being. CBT teaches skills to modify thoughts and emotions through behavioral changes. Beck (2014) emphasizes that the treatment considers individual beliefs and patterns, enabling lasting transformations.
CBT is an effective approach to reduce symptoms and prevent crises, helping the patient to better deal with challenges. Psychoeducation (a technique that combines psychological and pedagogical knowledge) broadens their understanding of their own suffering, allowing the learning of new strategies to face stressful situations and manage emotional triggers.
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REFERENCES
BECK, Judith S. Cognitive-behavioral therapy: theory and practice. Electronic resource.
Translation: Sandra Mallmann da Rosa. Technical review: Paulo Knapp, Elisabeth Meyer. 2nd edition. Porto Alegre: Artmed, 2014.
DOS SANTOS, Mariana Fernandes Ramos et al. Psychosomatic illness: a new look based on cognitive-behavioral therapy. Brazilian Journal of Development, v. 7, n. 8, p. 79687-79705, 2021.
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