Psycho-connected diseases

Ashenafi Zedebub

“As a result of a painful feeling by the nearness or the possibility of danger a disorder of the intestine could easily happen and all of a sudden an attack of diarrhea could follow.”  This is what I happen to read in a research paper several years ago.

This unfortunate, and at times unpleasant, occurrence has been experienced almost by each and every human being. According to some reportspresented by experts in psychotherapy, it usually occurs to men and women already inclined to anxiety, irrespective of age, profession, social status or whatsoever.

In a psychosomatic research carried out with regard to emotionally caused diarrhea, the following four personality traits have been found in most patients:  they have a feeling of powerlessness, a feeling of being at the mercy of a superior force; they are inclined to absolute dependency; they try to comply with almost all demands and very seldom are they capable of saying “no”; and they usually spend much more than they earn and in this way they hardly get well with financial management.

In the view of psychologists such people lead a life full of worry. They are mostly in disturbed state of mind even if they happen to be blessed with the worldly fortune. Moreover, they are always anxious and afraid of being exploited by others. This in turn will arouse somewhat a suppressed act of aggression in them.

As one report indicatedpersonality features similar to the aforementioned characteristics have been registered concerning patients suffering from colitis(inflammation of the large intestine) and peptic ulcer. A colitis patient is said to be vulnerable to heartbreak. And this, according to this report, happens without the knowledge of the patient.

Another  psychologist, who happened to have made a thorough research in family matters, has indicated that unforgettable loses such as the death of a lover, the chance of being rejected by the opposite sex for one reason or the other or separation from a life’s partner for a long time are the immediate causes of such disease.

Furthermore, facts have emerged from numerous researches and analysis that mothers of colitis patients were frequently dominant and perfectionists. Besides, they are cold-hearted and had, therefore,  controlled the child in respect of each and every activity, thus by demanding absolute submission.

In any case, as one friend of mine, who is a physician by profession, told me, neither diet nor tablets would cure intestinal disease with psycho-connections.  Psychologists suggest that, beside the medical care, psychotherapy could help so as to find ways and means of adjusting oneself to new conditions and environment.

In addition, material carelessness, heartlessness and the authoritative manner practiced during the child’s early years, thus causing a lot of destruction to his health, could also be cured by psychotherapy.

Here in our society, I do not think that any such a tangible and thorough investigation has taken place and thereupon no attempt has been made as to find remedy for such psycho-connected disease.

I myself  have so far not found one research paper yet. What about you?