Study Guide on Psychophysiological Disorders

Psychophysiological Disorders Overview

• Definition:

  • Psychophysiological disorders represent a class of disorders that impact both psychological and physical functioning. Stress significantly affects physical health.
  • Eighty years ago, clinicians recognized these disorders as stemming from interactions among biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors.

• Historical Context:

  • Early DSM versions termed these issues as psychosomatic disorders.
  • DSM-5 labels these as psychological factors affecting medical conditions.
  • Key distinction: These disorders lead to actual physical damage, unlike fictitious disorders or somatic symptom disorders, which will be addressed later in Chapter 7.

Examples of Psychophysiological Disorders

• Ulcers:

  • Description: Lesions in the stomach wall causing burning sensations, pain, vomiting, and stomach bleeding.
  • Prevalence: Experienced by over 25 million individuals at some point in their lives.
  • Causal Factors:
  • Environmental pressures.
  • Intense feelings of anger or anxiety.
  • Physiological: Bacterial infections.

• Asthma:

  • Description: Condition characterized by narrowing of airways, leading to difficulty breathing.
  • Prevalence: Affects up to 25 million people in the US annually, primarily beginning in childhood.
  • Causal Factors:
  • Environmental pressures and anxiety.
  • Physiological: Allergies, a slow-acting sympathetic nervous system, and weakened respiratory systems.

• Insomnia:

  • Description: Difficulty in falling asleep or maintaining sleep.
  • Prevalence: Affects about 10% of the US population yearly.
  • Causal Factors:
  • Psychosocial: High anxiety or depression.
  • Physiological: Overactive arousal system and certain medical conditions.

• Chronic Headaches:

  • Description: Frequent, intense head or neck pain not attributable to another physical disorder. Includes tension headaches and migraines.
  • Prevalence:
  • Tension headaches: Affect 45 million Americans annually.
  • Migraine headaches: Affect 23 million Americans annually.
  • Causal Factors:
  • Psychosocial: Environmental pressures, feelings of helplessness, anger, anxiety, and depression.
  • Physiological: Abnormal serotonin activity, vascular issues, and muscle weakness.

• Hypertension:

  • Description: Chronic high blood pressure with minimal noticeable symptoms unless measured.
  • Prevalence: Affects about 75 million Americans yearly.
  • Causal Factors:
  • Psychosocial: Constant stress, environmental danger, feelings of anger or depression.
  • Physiological: Only 10% caused by physiological factors (obesity, smoking, poor kidney function, excessive collagen, etc.).

• Coronary Heart Disease:

  • Description: Blockage in coronary arteries leading to heart attacks (myocardial infarctions).
  • Prevalence: Nearly 18 million Americans affected; leading cause of death in men over 35 and women over 40.
  • Causal Factors:
  • Psychosocial: Job stress, high anger levels, depression.
  • Physiological: High cholesterol, obesity, hypertension, smoking, lack of exercise.

Factors Contributing to Psychophysiological Disorders

• Interaction of Factors:

  • Development of these disorders arises from a complex interplay among psychosocial and physical factors, which are considered the rule of bodily function rather than the exception.

• Biological Factors:

  • Defects in the autonomic nervous system contribute to these disorders.

• Psychological Factors:

  • Needs, attitudes, emotions, and coping styles play essential roles, particularly in responses to stressors.
  • Notable styles include repressive coping and Type A personality.

• Sociocultural Factors:

  • Adverse social conditions, particularly poverty, significantly impact the incidence of these disorders.

Psychoimmunology

• Field Definition:

  • Psychoimmunology examines the interaction between the body’s immune system and stress, particularly how stress may lead to infections.

• Impact of Stress:

  • Stress can interfere with lymphocytes, which are crucial cells that attack foreign invaders and cancer cells, thereby increasing susceptibility to infections.
  • Influencing factors on the relationship between stress and immune response include:
  • Biochemical activity.
  • Behavioral changes.
  • Personality style.
  • Degree of social support.

Treatment Approaches for Psychophysiological Disorders

• Behavioral Medicine:

  • Integrates physical and psychological interventions tailored to treat psychophysiological disorders.

• Treatment Methods:

  • Relaxation training.
  • Biofeedback.
  • Meditation.
  • Hypnosis.
  • Cognitive interventions.

• Support and Emotional Expression:

  • Support groups and emotional expression are vital in treatment strategies.

• Combined Therapies:

  • Medical professionals often use these psychological treatments in conjunction with standard medical practices to improve outcomes for individuals suffering from psychophysiological disorders.