• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2014

Psychosomatic disorders are defined as disorders characterized by physiological changes that originate partially from emotional factors. This article aims to discuss the psychosomatic disorders of the oral cavity with a revised working type classification. The author has added one more subset to the existing classification, i.e., disorders caused by altered perception of dentofacial form and function, which include body dysmorphic disorder. The author has also inserted delusional halitosis under the miscellaneous disorders classification of psychosomatic disorders and revised the already existing classification proposed for the psychosomatic disorders pertaining to dental practice. After the inclusion of the subset (disorders caused by altered perception of dentofacial form and function), the terminology "psychosomatic disorders of the oral cavity" is modified to "psychosomatic disorders pertaining to dental practice".

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1994

A comparison was made regarding the degree of alexithymia among patients with psychosomatic disorders, anxiety disorders and depressive disorders. The author examined the degree of alexithymia in three groups : 100 psychosomatic patients(including 47 patients with tension headache), 52 outpatients with anxiety disorden, and 50 outpatients with depressive disorders. Alexithymia was assessed by Alexithymia provoked Response Questionnaires(APRQ) developed as a semi-structured interview form. No significant difference was found in the degree of alexithymia among Patients with Psychosomatic disorders, anxiety disorders, and depressive disorders. On the other hand, patients with tension headache were significantly more alexithymic than patients with anxiety disorders and depressive disorders, respectively. However, there was no significant difference in degree of alexithymia between patients with anxiety disorders and those with depressive disorders. Multiple regression analysis revealed that demographic variables such as set age, education level, and marital status did not make a significant influence on alexithymia scores. These results suggest a greater degree of alexithymia in patients with a specific group of psychosomiatic disorders such as tension headache than in patients with emotional disorders, unlike the previous report that in general, psychosomatic patients are alexithymic. Thus, it is necessary to develop special forms of interview which can induce and encourage expression of emotion as a therapeutic strategy for patients with tension headache.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 1999

A comprison was made regarding perceived family support among patients with somatoform disorders, psychosomatic disorders and depressive disorders. The subjects included 49 patients with somatoform disorders, 43 patients with psychosomatic disorders, and 50 patients with depressive disorders. Perceived social support-family scale was used to measure the extent of family support. The patients with somatoform disorders were significantly lower in family support than the patients with psychosomatic disorders. However, no significant differences were found between patients with somatoform disorders and those with depressive disorders, as well as between patients with psychosomatic disorders and those with depressive disorders. Patients with older age had significantly higher scores on family support than those with younger age. Married patients were significantly higher in family support than unmarried ones. These results suggest that low family support may be associated with either the etiology or the sequelae of somatization. Thus, it is emphasized that the role of family support is essential in evaluation and treatment of somatization. In addition, longitudinal studies will be required to investigate the causative role of low family support in somatization.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.176-180
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• 2002

Hypnosis as a traditional healing method, in its recent development, has generated a multitude of techniques. These serve as practical tools which can be combined with other therapy techniques for the treatment of a variety of psychiatric and medical conditions. The empirical evidence for the effectiveness of hypnosis is considerable and proves its clinical impact in various areas of application. This case review describes the integration of hypnotherapeutic methods into the continuum of psychiatric encounters in a general practice. Guidelines for the application of hypnosis in approaching and treating each patients with headache, sexual dysfunction and bronchial asthma were illustrated. As hypotheses mechanism of effectiveness in psychosomatic disorders has been formulated. Training in hypnotherapy provides the psychiatrist with skills needed to address psychophysiological disorders. Emphasis is placed on the necessity and opportunity for research on the efficacy and specific technique of hypnosis in the psychosomatic disorders.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.185-194
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• 1997

A comparison was made regarding illness behavior among patients with somatoform disorders, depressive disorders and psychosomatic disorders. The subjects consisted of out-patients with somatoform disorders(N=52), depressive disorders(N=52) and psychosomatic disorders(N=51). illness behavior was assessed by illness Behavior Assessment Schedule and the questionnaire about help-seeking behavior. The patients with somatoform disorders and psychosomatic disorders more often affirmed the presence of somatic disease, were more likely to have phobia of disease, had more preoccupation with ideas of disease and more frequently shopped around oriental clinics than the patients with depressive disorders. The patients with somatoform disorders more often attributed its cause to physical factors, less often attributed the origin of affective disturbance to psychological causes, showed Less depression and irritability, and were less likely to accept psychiatric treatment recommended by other physicians than depressive patients. The patients with somatoform disorders were more likely to report having been told that they suffered from a mild illness than those with psychosomatic disorders. The patients with somatoform disorders with psychological problems tended to inhibit expression of their emotion. Female patients with somatoform disorders more often affirmed the presence of psychological disorder and attributed its cause to psychological factors than male ones. These results suggest that in illness behavior, patients with somatoform disorders are different from depressive patients, whereas the former patients are similar to psychosomatic patients except the discrepancy between therapists and patients regarding evaluation of their symptoms. Thus, it is emphasized that first, therapists need to approach patients with somatoform disorders somatically with understanding of their underlying need to deny psychological problems, followed by either psychological or biopsychosocial approach.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.64-71
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• 1995

Cognitive-behavioral approach can be clinically applied to coping with stress, because cognitions are playing a central mediating role in the occurances of stress and stress reactions. In other words, cognitive distortions can be associated with causing and/or maintaining psychopathology. The goal of cognitive-behavioral approach is to help the patients identify and alter cognitive distortions and maladaptive assumptions. This approach is aimed not at curing but rather at helping the patients to develop better coping strategies to deal with their life and work. The cognitive-behavioral techniques often used in this approach include problem solving, hypothesis-testing, self-monitoring, cognitive challenges, generating alternatives to automatic cognitive distortions, self-instruction, attribution and reattribution, and techniques to control or suppress thoughts. This approach is considered to be helpful for treatment and prevention of psychiatric disorders including psychosomatic disorders, in which stress can greatly affect their onset and course.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.99-105
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• 2013

The movement disorders in psychiatry have been neglected, though it is an important psychiatric dimension to exert unfavorable influence on patients'quality of life. The etiologies of movement disorders in psychiatry can be classified as primary neurological disorders, psychiatric comorbidities of neurological disorders, manifestations of primary psychiatric disorders, drug-induced movement disorders and psychogenic movement disorders. For the rapid and proper treatment for movement symptoms and signs easily observed from psychiatric patients, psychiatrists' ability toward precise disgnosis and differential diagnosis of movement disorders should be preceded.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.58-63
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• 1995

The author introduced 12 session short term dynamic psychotherapy for the intervention of stress related disorders. An examplary case was introduced to suggest the clinal usefulness of time limitted short term dynamic psychotherapy for stress related disorders. It was suggested that the term "stress" should be limitted to certain natural and man-made catastrophies and disasters whose consequences rep quire a total reorganization of the person. Common defensive manuvers and psychological responses in the stress disorders were also reviewed.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.277-285
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• 1996

Somatoform disorders do occur among children and adolescents. Among the seven disorders under the grouping of somatoform disorders of DSM-IV, three disorders, namely somatization disorder, pain disorder and conversion disorder are seen relatively more often than one can expect in childhood and adolescence. Pain disorders are more prevalent among children before adolescence, whereas conversion disorder and somatoform disorder are seen more often during adolescence and early adulthood. Diagnoses of somatofram disorders should not be made by the process of exclusion, but based on positive findings that positive evidence that normal functioning is possible and that a positive history of psychosocial stress and or intrapsychic conflict exists. Treatment strategy should be mindful of including collaboration with primary care health professionals and family therapy staff in addition to all the basic treatment modalities essential for the treatment of children and adolescents.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.210-220
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• 1998

The relationships between emotion, stress and gastro-intestinal dysfunction were briefly reviewed. Until now, several kinds of theories on about pathophysiology, such as motility dysfunction, changes of pain perception on the lumen, dysregulations on the central nervous system associated with psychosocial factors were reported. However, none of those factors could'nt give any clues for the causes of the functional bowel disorders. For understanding the meaning of the symptoms and for the treatment approach, clinicians should give attention to the comprehensive point of view, i.e., not only biological but also psychological aspects of the patients with non-organic bowel dysfunctions. Giving warm and kind explanations to the patient about symptom formation and progression and understanding the patient's illness behaviors, and good and strong doctor-patient relationship is essentials for the treatment.