DOHA: Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMCQ) discussed the psychological causes of physical ailments in a lecture recently.
Symptoms of psychosomatic disorders range greatly in severity and type, from mild complaints such as slight fatigue, weakness and insomnia to serious symptoms like mutism, chronic fatigue, paralysis, abnormal movements, blindness and deafness, said Dr Abdel Moniem Abdel Hakam, Senior Consultant in Psychiatry at Hamad Medical Corporation, in a lecture entitled 'Brain, Mind and Body Connections' - the latest installment of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar's monthly Medicine and U community health forum.
Because they have no clear underlying physical pathology, conventional treatments for these symptoms typically have little or no effect. Physicians such as Dr Abdel Moniem, therefore, attempt to understand the causes of disorders in terms of the interaction between the psychology of patients with environmental and societal triggers.
Dr Abdel Moniem said: "This is a fascinating area of medicine because it demonstrates the significance of psychological factors when understanding general health. The way in which each individual conceptualises the world, cultural norms and stress can all affect our health, causing debilitating physical symptoms. Developing new ways to treat this type of psychosomatic disorder promises to deliver real benefits to people suffering with these conditions."
© The Peninsula 2013
