Abstract

Psychosomatic medicine focuses on the unity of mind and body the interactions between them. Stress can affect various illnesses in the following ways. First, psychological factors induce changes of behavior, which result in physical changes. Second, general stress responses related to the past, bad, psychological experiences can affect organs which become vulnerable to stress by genetic defects, tissue damage in the past, and environmental physical factors. Third, stress-related hormones and other chemical substances result in organic and psychological changes, which lead to disintegration of self defense and aggregate ego function to a more primitive state. Fourth, individuals react to stress with ineffective coping strategies, which make their enviromental situations become more stressful. Stress has been suggested to induce various psychosomatic disorders through 3 body systems; autonomoc nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system. Typical psychosomatic disorders are gastrointesitinal reflux disease, peptic ulcer, irritable bowel syndrome, coronary heart disease, hypertension, vasovagal syncope, hyperventilation syndrome, bronchial asthma, obesity, hyper/hypothyroidism, diabetes mellitus, prementrual dysphoric disorder, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, fibromylgia, miraine and tension headache, etc. Psychiatric treatment of psychosomatic disorders include psychotherapy, behavior therapy, and pharmacotherapy. Pharmacotherapy of psychosomatic disorders includes use of antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs. Physicians need to know pharmacological characteristics and adverse effects of various antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs.

• Keywords: Psychosomatic discorders, Stress, Psychotherapy, Behavior therapy, Pharmacotherapy.