Psychosomatic Illnesses: the Link Between the Nervous and Immune System

Psychosomatic diseases are characterized by physical symptoms that affect an organ or the physiological system and the causes of which are primarily emotional. The disease reflects a state of distress or moral distress. Clearly, a shock like a death, divorce, separation, accidents, and job loss, is able to make our natural defences collapse and cause a disease.

Psychosomatic diseases illustrate the link between the nervous system and immune system. When morale is under strain, the physical is not only slow but also show signs of distress. The reasons are well known that under stress the body produces hormones and corticosteroids that reduce the immune system. If the external stimulus is short, the body restores the things by itself. On the contrary, if its intensity is strong, repetitive and long-term, it lowers the immune system, which inevitably sets the conditions. Generally we can say that each individual will react in his own way, depending on his ability to manage stress and to channel his anxieties.

Physical disorders that appear generally can affect our organization. Psychosomatic illnesses account for over half the cases treated by doctors and it is estimated that 90% of all illnesses are aggravated by negative emotions.

What are the main symptoms?

Ulcer of the stomach was the first disease to have a psychosomatic origin. Broadly speaking, gastro-intestinal diseases are the most frequent psychosomatic: the liver, intestines and colon are the target organs of neuroses.

It was also found that skin diseases, if they are not related to a disease or virus, would have a psychological origin. Psoriasis, which affects 2% of the population, warts, herpes, excessive sweating, rosacea and canker sores appear when there is frustration and strong emotions.

These conditions also apply to children. Unable to talk about his ill-being, the infant will express distress differently with eczema, insomnia, sleep disruption, vomiting, asthma, growth retardation ... But it would be extremely simplistic to consider that these symptoms are always signs of a mental imbalance of the child.

The loss of libido may also be explained in a bad psychological state.

The developments of some cancers are, according to some scientists, due to mental disorders. The American scholar Lawrence Le Shan has determined that a sudden loneliness, a violent emotional shock or a desperate psychological state could intervene in cancer morbidity.

Strong emotions can also lead to imbalances in the diet. Bulimia and anorexia are the main examples together with alcoholism, obesity and cardiovascular disease linked to excessive consumption of fatty or sugary foods.

High blood pressure and migraines are also among the symptoms in emotional disorders.

This list is never ending while there may be other symptoms that may be indicative of psychosomatic diseases.

Sources:

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/27000225/