Somatization and Psychosomatic Symptoms [Hardcover]

This book, with contributions?emanating from the 21st?World Congress of Psychosomatic Medicine held in Seoul in August 2011, presents the latest evidence-based?information about the mechanisms, assessment, and management of psychosomatic disorders from a biopsychosociocultural perspective. Somatization is a process characterized by excessive or inappropriate focus on physical symptoms that are medically unexplained. It is highly prevalent in primary care medicine, as somatoform (psychosomatic) disorders tend to be chronic and can cause significant personal suffering and social problems as well as financial burden. ?

Part I Basic Understanding for Somatization.- Chapter 1 Identity of Somatoform Disorders: Comparison with Depressive Disorders and Anxiety Disorders.- Part II Theoretical Approaches to Mind and Body.- Chapter 2 Toward a Philosophy of Life to Underpin Personhood in Medicine.- Part III Biopsychosociocultural Mechanisms in Psychosomatic Medicine.- Chapter 3 Genes, Memes, Culture, and Psychosomatic Medicine: An Integrative Model.-Chapter 4 Alexithymia and Somatic Symptoms.- Chapter 5 Culture and Somatic Symptoms: Hwa-byung, A Culture-Related Anger Syndrome.- Chapter 6 Molecular Mechanism of Sleep-Wake Regulation: from Basic to Translational Research.- Part IV Practical Approaches to Patients and Family.- Chapter 7 Psychosomatic Approach to Clinical Practice.- Chapter 8 Emotional Intelligence, Alexithymia and the Doctor-Patient Relationship.- Chapter 9 Effective Approach to Somatization Assessment and Management.-Chapter 10 Role of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Psychosomatic Medicine.- Chapter 11 Family Assessment and Intervention for Physicians.- Part V Specific Psychosomatic Symptoms.- Chapter 12 Pain, Depression and Anxiety: a Common Language of Human Suffering.- Chapter 13 Psychosomatic Aspects of Fibromyalgia.- Chapter 1ls.