An Integrative Model for the Treatment of Psychosomatic Disorders

Slow wave sleep and REM sleep, along with associated dreams, are important for understanding psychosomatic illness and prevention. Ten patients with various psychosomatic illnesses slept 3–4 nights in a Dream Laboratory; those with schizophrenia, severe depression, acute physical illness, or organic deficits were excluded. The authors postulated that higher psychosomatic 'penetrance'—indicated by poverty of fantasy life, feelings of helplessness, absence of dream reports, vacant emotional expression, and poor psychological mindedness—would correlate with psychological test results, dream content, and REM/stage 4 deficits. Higher penetrance was not found in all psychosomatic patients but specifically in those with ulcerative colitis, and it related to physiological, psychological, and interpersonal parameters.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The functions and dysfunctions of slow wave sleep and of REM sleep and its associated dreams have a tremendous significance in understanding the psychosomatic model of illness and in establishing preventive strategies. Ten patients suffering from a variety of psychosomatic illnessess spent 3-4 nights sleeping at the Dream Laboratory. A psychiatric evaluation was carried out and those suffering from schizophrenia, severe depression, acute stage of physical illness and organic deficits were not accepted for the study. It was postulated that increased psychosomatic 'penetrance' as measured by poverty of fantasy life, feelings of helplessness, absence of dream reports, vacant and contrived emotional expression and poor psychological mindedness would be correlated with psychological test results (IPAT anxiety Scale and Zung Depression Rating Scale), manifest dream content analysis and particular REM and stage 4 deficit. The higher psychosomatic 'penetrance' in our study was not found in all patients with a psychosomatic diagnosis but rather in those patients suffering from ulcerative colitis. The degree of 'penetrance' was related to specific physiological, psychological and interpersonal parameters. Based on these findings a spectrum of clinical and physiological criteria of selection for particular therapeutic intervention was presented.