what is psychosomatic disorder & how do i get better?
108244
Psychosomatic refers to a patient whose physical sickness is being caused by some sort of psychological issue. A therapist would help with that. Make sure these doctors who told you that you have this are good, because it could also mean that they don't know what is wrong with you and are to egotistical to admitt it. It happened to me and I almost died.
822115
therapy and meds are essential for helping you...but have you thought about support groups?  sometimes just going through it with like people can help.  as for your not being able to articulate how you feel, i recommend journaling...writing down what you are feeling is a great way to help yourself and others fiigure out what you are really going through.  dont forget diet and exercise too...good luck
616255
You definitely need to see a doctor before it gets worse to determine whether therapy, medication or both are the best route for you to take. Also, a quick fix that I found is eating dark chocolate - it gave me just enough to get over the depression feelings - but it doesn't last long - maybe a couple hours max.\n\n\nwww.mommastayshome.com
788322
Honey, deal with the pain. See a psychologist. If an MD gave this to you, throw it away. They are not trained to diagnose and assist in mental issues, psychologists and psychiatrists are. \n\nLook up a psychologist in the phone book. Make sure they are board certified when you call them up. Set up an appointment and start therapy. Don't throw out the drugs until you talk to them since that CAN have a devistating effect neurologically, particularly if you are under 18 (in that case you shouldn't be on depression drugs anyway). THEN if a psychiatrist or psychologist determines you need drugs, follow their orders. Drugs are necessary sometimes...but only if given and monitered by professionals who are specifically geared toward mental health.\n\nYou can do this for yourself as well. Get out and do some yoga. Believe it or not, yoga is a therapy all in itself. I used to be depressed until I started yoga. Anyone can do it, just make sure you have a certified yoga instructor (aka don't just pick up a book and do it, go to a yoga studio). Also, take Alive Multivitamins...they really help me all around. \n\nI am sorry for your loss. Hopefully things will start getting better for you. *hug*
48602
You need to see a doctor and be honest with your symptoms. In all likelyhood it is depression and the doctor can help with counseling and medications. Don't wait and think it will get better.
117917
Depression is something that should be evaluated by a health care professional, to begin with.\nBe meticulous about taking the medications as prescribed, if that is the case.\nHowever, there are many things you still can and should do, to get a grip on it. \nFirst of all, following the advice from the health care professional, get involved with counseling. \nA therapist, who I would suggest to be a Psychologist, should help you to sort much of the mind confusion that accompanies depression. \nA Christian counselor, will guide you to seek help from the spiritual realms, since most depressed patients feel very lonely and also feel that their prayers are not answered.\nRelatives or very good friends should keep you company as much as possible to handle the oppressive loneliness that comes with it.  \nPrepare an agenda of things to do, the previous night. Stay busy. Do not overwork yourself. Measure the workload as much as possible.\nExercise. Include that in your agenda. \nSet up goals. Adjust your goals accordingly with the results you will be achieving. \nDo your best to get a vision for your life. Usually (not always), depression is the result of a traumatic event that threw you off the path you had for your life, and you find yourself in a situation where you feel your life has no purpose anymore.
225468
I understand your desire to stay away from\n"sledgehammer" solutions that involve powerful,\nsometimes untested herbal or prescription medicines. When it\ncomes to your health, remedies that are stronger are\nnot always better. I have three things that have\ngotten me through times when I've been depressed, and\nthey're all gentle solutions that I think will suit an\nintelligent person like yourself. \n\n1 - The first is what Freud calls the "talking cure".\nHe insists that it must be performed by a\npsychoanalyst who you are paying for, but actually\nI've performed it by writing in a diary. The key is to\nbe very honest, and try to find connections that you\nmight otherwise be supressing, because these are the\nareas that need work. For example, what's the first\nthing that pops into your mind when you think of\n"depression"? If the answer is "flying a kite", then\nfollow the chain... What do you think of when you\nthink of "kite" and "flying"... You'll be surprised\nhow quickly this takes you right down to an event in\nyour childhood or an unresolved conflict that might\nhave happened a year ago.\n\n2 - Looking for lies. A chair cannot make you\ndepressed. A lampshade cannot make you depressed. Only\nanother person can make you depressed. I believe it is\nbecause a chair and a lampshade cannot lie. Only a\nperson can lie. Depression, it seems to me, comes from\nbelieving a lie. That conflict (between reality and\nthe lie) takes up so much mental energy to maintain,\nit drains you as a whole. You may find, after using\ntechnique #1, that it leads to you to this conclusion\n#2. For example, after free associating your way to an\nevent, you might find that it was when someone told\nyou that you weren't worth a hill of beans. The\nproblem is not that they insulted you, the problem is\nthat you believed the lie. Beware, giving up on a lie\nthat we've believed in for a long time is tougher than\nit sounds.\n\n3 - This one is going to sound goofy, especially after\nwading in deeply with the other two techniques. Get\nsome light to shine on the cells in the back of your\neyes. Go outside for an extended period of time\nwithout sunglasses (no need to stare at the sun or a\nlight-bulb, indirect light will do). Use one of those\ngentle light therapy products like www.everlyte.com .\nTake a trip on a sailboat. Spend a few hours in open\nfields on sunny days. It's those cells in the eyes\nthat produce much of the chemical that pills and\nherbal remedies seek to replace, but the cells in the\neyes put the chemicals where they are needed, in your\nbrain, and not in your stomach and everywhere else.\nThis third technique will help you with the other two,\nallowing you to think clearly, and get out from being\nstuck in a loop.\n\nI hope this "whole-istic" answer is as helpful to you\nas it has been to me over the years. A gentle look at\nthe whole picture is often better than a sledgehammer\nto just one piece of the problem.
1169090
They think you are psycho!  See a doctor.
357546
Unfortunately... diet, exercise, rest. Try to take as much stress out of your life as possible. Stress reactivates RSD. Live as healthy as possible. Get rid of processed food, greasy food, processed sugar, and alcohol. (Although I find that very strong beer helps, but only 1 or 2, don't go overboard.)
269779
Best thing you can do man. I read abit about that before its amazing the results they had.  Doesnt take years like psycho-therapy and you dont have to deal with malicious anti-depresents in you bloodstream. Best thing you can do, highly recomended.
457837
contact your nearest phsycology help centre, you'll find plenty of help there. internet is very limited.
536980
I go to a hypno-psychotherapist. It helps to have someone to talk to without being judged and getting help in relaxing. Then I de-stress through a hobby, sewing. When I am just about to explode, I drop everything and sit on my sewing chair and turn on the machine. Think also of If they are close by maybe you can call them for coffee or something.
140388
Psychotherapy is an important form of treatment for many kinds of psychological problems. \n\nTwo of the most common problems for which people seek help from a therapist are depression and persistent anxiety.\n\n People with depression may have low self-esteem, a sense of hopelessness about the future, and a lack of interest in people and activities once found pleasurable. \n\nPeople with anxiety disorders may feel anxious all the time or suffer from phobias, a fear of specific objects or situations. \n\nPsychotherapy, by itself or in combination with drug treatment, can often help people overcome or manage these problems.\n\nPeople experiencing an emotional crisis due to marital problems, family disputes, problems at work, loneliness, or troubled social relationships may benefit from psychotherapy. \n\nOther problems often treated with psychotherapy include obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality disorders, alcoholism and other forms of drug dependence, problems stemming from child abuse, and behavioral problems, such as eating disorders and juvenile delinquency.\n\nMental health professionals do not rely on psychotherapy to treat schizophrenia, a severe mental illness.\n \nDrugs are used to treat this disorder. \nHowever, some psychotherapeutic techniques may help people with schizophrenia learn appropriate social skills and skills for managing anxiety. \n\nAnother severe mental illness, bipolar disorder (popularly called manic depression), is treated with drugs or a combination of drugs and psychotherapy.
473788
It IS hypochondria. Take this test to see if you have it:\nhttp://www.uib.no/med/avd/med_a/gastro/wilhelms/whiteley.html\n\nPsychosomatic refers to physical or physiologic manifestations of emotional or psychiatric problems. For example, if you are stressed out, you may respond with headaches, or feel like you are having trouble breathing. Its not exactly known what causes psychosomatic disorders but seems to be that psychological stressors become internalized and then get expressed in physical disorders.
754601
Scotty, \nProbably news you do not want to hear... but, get yourself to a licensed mental therapist now. If you live in the US, look in your phone book's Yellow Pages. You can also find a psychiatrist and have he or she recommend a therapist for you. Usually, therapists work in the same building/offices as the doctor.\n\nPlease don't let this upset you. I have been where you are and I can tell you my life now is the best it's ever been. My father was an alcoholic and always bailing on me... I did not trust anyone in my life. I could love someone with all my heart; but, how could they feel the same way about me? My self-esteem was so low, I could not even imagine that someone could love me with all their heart.\n\nAnger. Oh, anger. This *may* (I am not a doctor or professional; just a patient) be a sign of depression or other mental illness. PLEASE do not let the words "mental illness" freak you out. It is so very, very sad that in many circles in the US that the words "mental illness" can be seen only as a bad thing and is stigmatized. \n\nI have depression and OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder). How do I explain this? I am not *proud* I have these disorders; but I am glad that I have been diagnosed and I am treated and on medicine that has changed my life.\n\nMedicine alone **does not** change you and make you better. Med's can do the chemical part in your body; but therapy and talking and working your problems out is what will make you a success. \n\nWhen I first started going to therapy, I was embarrassed and I told no one. (now my family and close friends know and they are completely cool with it and support me 200%)  It was also difficult learning to trust my therapist (which I did over time and because of her I am a changed person). However, after the talking starts, so many parts of your life can be healed I am very healthy and no longer see my therapist; however I do see my doctor every six months for check-ups.\n\nMedication may or may not be for you. However, your therapist can help you learn how to deal with your anger issues and other issues that affect you everyday.\n\nWhen my therapist told me (this was after several visits and consultations) that she thought medications would really help me, I was devastated. I couldn't believe that I had to take a pill to make my brain work... that was my thinking at the time. Then she said to me, "If I told you, you were diabetic, would you be embarrassed to take the necessary medicines to make you well again?" Wow. It all clicked!\n\nAgain, anti-depressant meds are not the end-all and be-all. At first, all must be carefully monitored and you must continue with therapy. It's hard work but it pays off in more ways you can imagine.\n\nMy anger problems are no more. My self-esteem (while it will probably never be 100%) is the best it's ever been and I walk tall with my head held high. I know now how to react to situations that before I could not handle.\n\nI could go on and on.\n\nIt's my humble and unprofessional opinion that you may need a professional's help with the anger, bad moods that plague you everyday and your issues of trust.\n\nAgain, it's not easy and it's definitely work on your part (going through the therapy) but is the most awesome feeling in the world to actually, truly, trust the family and friends I love! It's a very freeing and strengthening experience!\n\nGood luck to you! You DESERVE to be healthy and happy!\n\nAll the best,\n\nCindy B in OK\nPS - It is SO SO SO important that your therapist and you have the same goals and are compatible. No, you're not looking for your new best friend; however, you have to feel *some* trust or a connection for this to work. If you meet someone and you feel their values are wrong, or you can't seem to communicate with each other, or you are just not comfortable, PLEASE go find a new therapist. Again, I know this sounds like a royal pain -
518557
The advice of exercising and eating healthily is very good.  However if you are depressed then you should see a doctor.  Why are you hesitant to do so?  It is a medical condition, like a broken arm, only not so visible.  There is no shame in it.  However, if you go out and about with friends, take up a new interest and go walking especially in the sunlight if possible, these things will all raise your mood.  Listening to up-beat music helps as well.  If you go for a 30 minute walk every day, it is impossible to become clinically depressed, because the levels of serotonin in the brain will not dip to that level.  I hope you feel better soon.  Remember that family and friends will want to help you to feel better, don't think that you will be burdening them by talking to them about whatever is troubling you.  They will be only too happy to help you because they care about you.
4778
There's some meditation techniques that may be able to help relieve psychosomatic disorders such as migraine, i.e. check out Vipassana Meditation, from my experience I believe it and it makes sense.\n\nYou may want to check out a doctor to see if there's something physically wrong however.