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Customer Reviews (3)

Garbage "Science"
These quacks give ridiculous explanations and "treatment" for what they call "medically unexplained" symptoms and somatization. The only problem is that they are medically explained. For example there are approximately 4,000 articles in peer reviewed medical journals showing frank physical pathology (disease) in ME (aka CFS).

So not worth the read
Since most people who write soma books don't actually suffer from Soma disorders, taking what they say to heart can be difficult. Lucky for you, you've got a real live sufferer right here telling you it's not worth the read. When I was diagnosed with soma two years ago, my life flipped upside down. I went from being a promising, happy-go-luck college student to a depressed alcoholic on the verge of breakdown. I lost every friend I had, lived in constant pain, and prayed for the end. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (or CBT) was my first avenue of choice for treatment, and unfortunatly, it was also the least effective. I don't fault the author for his one sided CBT approach, but the fact that SOMA has general prognosis of "very poor", coupled with a life expectancy of about 35 for sufferers, makes it almost pointless to read up on and explore. Let's just be honest, if you've got Soma, you probably won't live very long. It's not because the disorder kills you, no, it's sicker than that. Your lifestyle escape will do you in; the alcohol abuse, the drug abuse, the suicide, these are all norms for people with Soma. You don't live, you exist, and those who don't actually suffer are rarely qualified to write books or distribute information. AVOID this and all other Soma books UNLESS THEY ARE WRITTEN BY SOMEONE WITH SOMA!!!

Required Reading
This is a great book that gives a nice, research-based approach to the treatment of Somatization in patients in primary care. However, due to the nature of the book, it is very much based on a one-sided approach (CBT) and provides limited information on other methods of treatment. ... Read more

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University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock. Reprint of DHHS Publication No.(ADM)89-1631, 1990. Current research findings on diagnosis and management for primary care physicians and mental health professionals. ... Read more

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This important volume brings together a wide range of research, presenting new information on the nature of functional somatic symptoms and hypochondriasis. Kellner surveys historical and current views on these topics, explores their prevalence and associations, and explains similar symptoms and variants. Also included are a number of illustrative case histories that shed light on these important public health problems. ... Read more

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The Mind-Body Interface in Somatization:When Symptom Becomes Disease represents a unique contribution to the clinician's tool chest for diagnosing and treating psychosomatic illness.This book breaks new ground by asking and answering many of the key questions that trouble every practicing clinician:Why do patients use somatization? Can we predict who will be a somatizer? Is there an underlying process involved? Why are these patients so difficult to treat? Beginning with a discussion of contemporary disease classification, The Mind-Body Interface in Somatization clarifies matters greatly by talking in terms of chronic and situational somatization, showing that chronic patients use illness as a way of life, while situational patients somatically respond to existential crises, and revealing how both are rooted in the mind-body interface. Drawing on elements of personality theory, the authors discuss the core conflicts and character structure inherent in both types of somatization and suggest treatment options appropriately geared toward the needs of each. The Mind-Body Interface in Somatization describes how chronic somatization can be addressed by cognitive-behavioral therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, while situational somatization can be managed with short-term existential psychotherapy. Concluding with a discussion of medications that may be helpful to the somatizing patient, this volume represents an original approach to explaining what goes on in the mind of the somatizer. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The Mind-Body Interface in Somatization:When Symptoms Become Disease.
Little is understood by both medical personel and the lay person, as to how, the Mind effects Physical illnesses and visa versa. This book supplies explicit explanations on how to recognise, understand and treat the person suffering from what was once desribed as hypocondria. This condition has long been taunted and fobbed off as "All in the Mind" of the sufferer.
With education comes understanding as the three experienced author's tackle the complexity of this little known subject.
With the diagnosis of Somatization, clarity and understanding has finally put a name to a sad confusing chronic condition.
A great book to be used as a tool of learning for the medical field as well as by the individual who just requires to understand more. An excellent read.

Eye opening
Dr. Lynn Smith wrote a number of technical books about the brain, testing and evaluation of patients. This book introduces the reader to the underlying causes of the disconnect that can exist between pain, verifiable symptom and underlying disease.If you ever wondered why some people benefit from a given treatment and others don't,this book will provide some fascinating information. While this book has some technical sections, one does not need to be a doctor to enjoy and learn from it. ... Read more

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Progress in Psychiatry, Number 31. 13 Contributors. DNLM: 1. Somatoform Disorders. ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Somatization disorder (also Briquet's disorder or, in antiquity, hysteria) is a psychiatric diagnosis applied to patients who persistently complain of varied physical symptoms that have no identifiable physical origin. One common general etiological explanation is that internal psychological conflicts are unconsciously expressed as physical signs. Patients with somatization disorder will typically visit many doctors in pursuit of effective treatment. Although somatization disorder has been studied and diagnosed for more than a century, there is debate and uncertainty regarding its pathophysiology. Most current explanations focus on the concept of a misconnection between the mind and the body. Widely held theories on this troublesome, often familial disorder fit into three general categories. ... Read more

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Abstract: Somatization disorder is the physical manifestation of mental pain. Unlike patients with other chronic conditions, patients with somatization disorder are unlikely to cooperate in, or respond to, their treatment. In this article, Drs Holloway and Zerbe discuss how physicians can distinguish this confounding condition from real physical illness and find a balanced approach to helping the patient without burning themselves out. Holloway KL, Zerbe KJ. Simplified approach to somatization disorder: when less may prove to be more. ... Read more

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Malingering is a medical term that refers to fabricating orexaggerating the symptoms of mental or physical disordersfor a variety of "secondary gain" motives, which mayinclude financial compensation (often tied to fraud);avoiding school, work or military service; obtaining drugs;getting lighter criminal sentences; or simply to attractattention or sympathy. Legally, it is often referred to asfabricated mental illness or feigned madness (see UnitedStates v. Binion). The disorder remains separate fromsomatization disorders and factitious disorders in whichprimary and secondary gain, such as the relief of anxietyor the assumption of the "patient role", is the goal. Thesymptoms most commonly feigned reportedly include thoseassociated with mild head injury, fibromyalgia and chronicfatigue syndrome, and chronic pain. Malingering imposessubstantial burdens on the healthcare system. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Education, published by Project Innovation (Alabama) on September 22, 1997. The length of the article is 1839 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: A biophysical approach for dealing with somatization disorders in health care the Cassel BioSensors.
Author: Russel N. Cassel
Publication: Education (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 1997
Publisher: Project Innovation (Alabama)
Volume: v118Issue: n1Page: p96(4)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

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High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Psychosomatic medicine is an interdisciplinary medical field studying the relationships of social, psychological, and behavioral factors on bodily processes and well-being in humans and animals. The influence that the mind has over physical processes including the manifestations of physical disabilities that are based on intellectual infirmities, rather than actual injuries or physical limitations, are manifest in phrases such as the power of suggestion, the use of "positive thinking" and concepts like "mind over matter". ... Read more

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The “Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders” is a comprehensive two-volume set providing detailed information on mental disorders and conditions, in an easy-to-use format. It includes entries for all 150 disorders classified in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” and also features entries for prescription, alternative and over-the-counter drugs, as well as the various therapies used to treat mental disorders.

Product Description

The “Gale Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders” is a comprehensive two-volume set providing detailed information on mental disorders and conditions, in an easy-to-use format. It includes entries for all 150 disorders classified in the “Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,” and also features entries for prescription, alternative and over-the-counter drugs, as well as the various therapies used to treat mental disorders.

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This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Anxiety Disorders, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Hypochondriasis and panic disorder are both characterized by prevalent health anxieties and illness beliefs. Therefore, the question as to whether they represent distinct nosological entities has been raised. This study examines how clinical characteristics can be used to differentiate both disorders, taking the possibility of mixed symptomatologies (comorbidity) into account. We compared 46 patients with hypochondriasis, 45 with panic disorder, and 21 with comorbid hypochondriasis plus panic disorder. While panic patients had more comorbidity with agoraphobia, hypochondriasis was more closely associated with somatization. Patients with panic disorder were less pathological than hypochondriacal patients on all subscales of the Whiteley Index (WI) and the Illness Attitude Scales (IAS) except for illness behavior. These differences were independent of somatization. Patients with hypochondriasis plus panic had higher levels of anxiety, more somatization, more general psychopathology and a trend towards increased health care utilization. Clinicians were able to distinguish between patient groups based upon the tendency of hypochondriacal patients to demand unnecessary medical treatments. These results confirm that hypochondriasis and panic disorder are distinguishable clinical conditions, characterized by generally more psychopathology and distress in hypochondriasis. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Clinical Psychiatry News, published by International Medical News Group on November 1, 2004. The length of the article is 827 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Psychiatric disorders key in childhood insomnia: ask about depression, anxiety, and somatization. Family history of mental illness could also play role.(Child/Adolescent Psychiatry)
Author: Kerri Wachter
Publication: Clinical Psychiatry News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: November 1, 2004
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 32Issue: 11Page: 34(1)

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Understanding Somatization in the Practice of Clinical Neuropsychology is written for neuropsychologists who wish to improve their ability to diagnose and treat, or recommend treatment for, patients with somatoform disorders.The author, a seasoned clinician, blends evidence-based recommendations with sound practical advice within a conceptual framework that helps neuropsychologists to understand and engage these challenging patients.A Continuing Education (CE) component administered by the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology is included, as is access to the author's workshop presentation materials.The book will be of interest to those who work with or wish to gain insight into somatizing patients - neuropsychologists, clinical psychologists, neurologists; post-doctoral fellows; graduate psychology students; and neuropsychologists who want to earn Continuing Education (CE) credit. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Laughable
Quack Gregory Lamberty outlines somatization disorders and "medically unexplained" symptoms. The only problem is that they are medically explained. For example there are approximately 4,000 articles in peer reviewed medical journals showing frank physical pathology (disease) in ME (aka CFS).The same can be said for fibromyalgia and IBS.
If you doubt ME is a somatic illness read the fascinating Osler's Web: Inside the Labyrinth of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Epidemic

Applying it to School Practice
I'm a speech pathologist who works with teens with Asperger's Syndrome in a public school.We see a lot of somaticization in our students, and it is often used as a way to escape less preferred activities.I and the other teachers need to know how to view this condition and how to set limits around the behaviors we see, *without* causing harm or ignoring what could be a serious condition.Lamberty's book helps us with that.He explains how somaticization is defined and how it manifests itself.He gives an excellent explanation of the kinds of treatment that have been shown to work.This is particularly helpful, because it teaches us the "active ingredients" in any successful therapy.That means we can incorporate those active ingredients in our own relationships with our students.Finally, Lamberty's books contains short clinical vignettes about actual patients, which is very instructive because it shows how to set appropriate limits. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Family Practice News, published by International Medical News Group on December 1, 2003. The length of the article is 1429 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Frequent abdominal pain in children may be somatization: psychosocial difficulties.(Children's Health)(Brief Article)
Author: Sharon Worcester
Publication: Family Practice News (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2003
Publisher: International Medical News Group
Volume: 33Issue: 23Page: 50(1)

Article Type: Brief Article

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Customer Reviews (1)

Plain talk on how the mind affects the body
Dr. Goodman, an eminent psychiatrist, has written a very comprehensive andreadable book about the many ways--some of them startling--that the mindcan affect the body. Dr. Goodman peoples the book with a host of memorablecharacters, and tells their stories in a non-judgmental manner. Hisdiscussion of the bizarre Munchausen's Syndrome is especially well-worthreading, for good education about this incurable and painful process ofself-induced sickness.A word of warning: as a person coping with thedevastation of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I took issue with the gooddoctor's assessment that this is a purely psychogenic problem, and relatedto women's problems in coping with the demands of playing many roles.Thisis a minor flaw in a very readable and educational book. ... Read more

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How Patients Think



At age twenty-one, Chloe Atkins began suffering from a mysterious illness, the symptoms of which rapidly worsened. Paralyzed for months at a time, she frequently required intubation and life support. She eventually became quadriplegic, dependent both on a wheelchair and on health professionals who refused to believe there was anything physically wrong with her. When test after test returned inconclusive results, Atkins's doctors pronounced her symptoms psychosomatic. Atkins was told not only that she was going to die but also that this was her own fault; they concluded she was so emotionally deranged that she was willing her own death.



My Imaginary Illness is the compelling story of Atkins s decades-long battle with a disease deemed imaginary, her frustration with a succession of doctors and diagnoses, her immersion in the world of psychotherapy, and her excruciating physical and emotional journey back to wellness. As both a political theorist and patient, Atkins provides a narrative critique of contemporary medicine and its problematic handling of uncertainty and of symptoms that are not easily diagnosed or known. She convincingly illustrates that medicine's belief in evidence-based practice does not mean that individual doctors are capable of objectivity, nor that the presence of biomedical ethics invokes ethical practices in hospitals and clinics. A foreword by Bonnie Blair O Connor, who teaches medical students how to listen to patients, and a clinical commentary by Dr. Brian David Hodges, a professor of psychiatry, enrich the book's narrative with practical guidance for medical practitioners and patients alike. ... Read more