Psychosomatic illness

[Boots]

In the Grivas book they define it as: illness in which the physical symptoms are caused in part of entirely by psychological factors.

This definition is wrong right, cos' there is no cause-effect relationship btw stress and disease.

So what would be a better definition?

[Tashi]

Hmmm... my psych notes book says 'physical symptoms attributed to a combination of physiological and psychological factors'.

[coolhat]

wat? the definition is right-psychosomatic illness has nothing to do with the cause-effect relationship b/t stress and disease! i think ur confusing stress with psychological factors.

[Boots]

Yeah, but you can't say that the psychological factors are the ONLY factor for illness.
In one of the assessment reports they didn't use CAUSE in the definition of psychosomatic illness
Plus, even Grivas contradicts themselves: ' in cases where stress is both intense and prolonged, the onset of illness or disease is more likely.'

[Visionz]

caused in part

[hawks08]

"psychosomatic illness is a medical problem which is caused by a combination psysiological and pschological problems"
that will be the definiton i will use.
it is a combination of both psysiological and pschological problems.
for example an ulcer is caused by increased gastric acid but also inhibition of the immune system
hope that helps

[Tashi]

Yeah but psychological factors doesn't have to mean stress. Anorexia has physical symptoms but it's entirely caused by psychological factors.

[Boots]

But if you say that it is contributed by physiological factors then whats the point of calling it a 'psychosomatic' illness?

[Visionz]

Because other occurrences of disease ARENT brought upon in part or entirely by psychological factors. (or at least psychological factors arent SIGNIFICANT contributors to these particular diseases)

For the sake of VCE psych you should take everything with a grain of salt. Soak up everything youre told and remember the little things that conflict with common sense. Leave the researcher inside you until yore doing your masters degree.

[Boots]

lol, ok its just that I want to do really well that's all

So would this definition be acceptable: when psycholological factors may contribute to physical damage or changes in physiological functioning of the body.

[Visionz]

lol, ok its just that I want to do really well that's all

So would this definition be acceptable: when psycholological factors may contribute to physical damage or changes in physiological functioning of the body.

We all want to do well. Thats a good attitude. To do well youve just got to put that on ice though.

[Glockmeister]

Well,

The strong differentiation between psychology and physiology is being breached as more and more research comes to light.

[Visionz]

Well,

The strong differentiation between psychology and physiology is being breached as more and more research comes to light.

Makes sense. Id like to think that every thought/behaviour is due to a chemical reaction of sorts. Imagine if someone could study these and find specific reactions which lead to specific behaviours or thoughts. Imagine if the difference between calling someone a dickhead and holding back was down to concentration of x molecules. Douchebags are predisposed to high x molecule counts. There would be no line between psychology and physiology.

[Glockmeister]

Well,

The strong differentiation between psychology and physiology is being breached as more and more research comes to light.

Makes sense. Id like to think that every thought/behaviour is due to a chemical reaction of sorts. Imagine if someone could study these and find specific reactions which lead to specific behaviours or thoughts. Imagine if the difference between calling someone a dickhead and holding back was down to concentration of x molecules. Douchebags are predisposed to high x molecule counts. There would be no line between psychology and physiology.

I was actually reading my neuroscience textbook actually, and it mentions a link between vasopressin, which is a hormone, with the whether the male would stay monogamous, or whether it would display promiscuity in the vole.

[Visionz]

Pity its only a link or else my theory would change the world. Oh well. Maybe im gonan have to do my own dirty work.