Re: Psychosomatic Illnesses

[Guest guest]

Hi Gizelle:

Thought I'd add my 2c on this issue. This is a big one for me.

As you probably know, this whole separation of mind and body is a

characteristic of western thinking and therefore of Western medicine.

But this view is not shared by Eastern thinking and therefore not shared

by Eastern medicine.

If you think about it, it would be impossible for any biological event

to not have accompanying psychological component. After all, our brains

are housed in our bodies. Likewise a psychological event would probably

always have a biological component. It may be subtle. It may be as

simple as when you get angry enough, your blood pressure goes up, even

if you don't normally have high blood pressure. Would it make sense to

say your high blood pressure reading is " in your head " ? This the wrong

question really. Your blood vessels can and did constrict, you didnt

" think " they did. In another scenario, from what I understand about

vaginismus, it seems women with it have had some kind of trauma whether

it be an acute incident of abuse, or ,vestibulitis or vulvadynia. Now,

having been raped or abused or having vestibultis or vulvdynia are

hardly the same. But they both affect one psychologcially, and the

defensive contraction is a *physical* event connected to a

*psychologcial event,* BUT it is also a *physical* event connected to a

*physical* event.

Then, it is also a psychological event connected to a

biological/physical event, on moer than pne level, because having

vaginismus becomes its own physical and psychological problem.

So the way I see it, is there is no real way to determine when a

psychological event begins or ends or overlap with a physical one,

especially when dealing with sexual issues,because they are supposed to

have a psychological component. Arousal, sex, pregnancy , childbirth are

all important to women's lives. It would be virtually impossible to

experience them normally without feeling anything. So if things go

wrong, we are definitely going to feel things in a big, big way.

I will wind down my rantings by saying that probably the reason the

terms psychogenic vs psychosomatic don't appear clear is because no good

physician would ever say *they* were clear on it. And the real kick in

the head is, because of our culture, it is implied that a mental

component is something *negative*. Traditional Eastern medicien, as I

understand it at least, doesn't " go there " .Mind and body issues are

addressed simultaneously, and, I suppose, with a good practicitioner, in

the spirit of balance and compassion.

Hope this helps. Or is at least interesting. : )

--

====================

Thielke

NuMuse Music

Kensington, MD

ts@...

====================

" Klattu...Burata......Nikto

Klattu...Burata......Nikto

Klattu...Burata......Nikto "

[Guest guest]

Hi Gizelle:

Thought I'd add my 2c on this issue. This is a big one for me.

As you probably know, this whole separation of mind and body is a

characteristic of western thinking and therefore of Western medicine.

But this view is not shared by Eastern thinking and therefore not shared

by Eastern medicine.

If you think about it, it would be impossible for any biological event

to not have accompanying psychological component. After all, our brains

are housed in our bodies. Likewise a psychological event would probably

always have a biological component. It may be subtle. It may be as

simple as when you get angry enough, your blood pressure goes up, even

if you don't normally have high blood pressure. Would it make sense to

say your high blood pressure reading is " in your head " ? This the wrong

question really. Your blood vessels can and did constrict, you didnt

" think " they did. In another scenario, from what I understand about

vaginismus, it seems women with it have had some kind of trauma whether

it be an acute incident of abuse, or ,vestibulitis or vulvadynia. Now,

having been raped or abused or having vestibultis or vulvdynia are

hardly the same. But they both affect one psychologcially, and the

defensive contraction is a *physical* event connected to a

*psychologcial event,* BUT it is also a *physical* event connected to a

*physical* event.

Then, it is also a psychological event connected to a

biological/physical event, on moer than pne level, because having

vaginismus becomes its own physical and psychological problem.

So the way I see it, is there is no real way to determine when a

psychological event begins or ends or overlap with a physical one,

especially when dealing with sexual issues,because they are supposed to

have a psychological component. Arousal, sex, pregnancy , childbirth are

all important to women's lives. It would be virtually impossible to

experience them normally without feeling anything. So if things go

wrong, we are definitely going to feel things in a big, big way.

I will wind down my rantings by saying that probably the reason the

terms psychogenic vs psychosomatic don't appear clear is because no good

physician would ever say *they* were clear on it. And the real kick in

the head is, because of our culture, it is implied that a mental

component is something *negative*. Traditional Eastern medicien, as I

understand it at least, doesn't " go there " .Mind and body issues are

addressed simultaneously, and, I suppose, with a good practicitioner, in

the spirit of balance and compassion.

Hope this helps. Or is at least interesting. : )

--

====================

Thielke

NuMuse Music

Kensington, MD

ts@...

====================

" Klattu...Burata......Nikto

Klattu...Burata......Nikto

Klattu...Burata......Nikto "

[Guest guest]

Hi Gizelle:

Thought I'd add my 2c on this issue. This is a big one for me.

As you probably know, this whole separation of mind and body is a

characteristic of western thinking and therefore of Western medicine.

But this view is not shared by Eastern thinking and therefore not shared

by Eastern medicine.

If you think about it, it would be impossible for any biological event

to not have accompanying psychological component. After all, our brains

are housed in our bodies. Likewise a psychological event would probably

always have a biological component. It may be subtle. It may be as

simple as when you get angry enough, your blood pressure goes up, even

if you don't normally have high blood pressure. Would it make sense to

say your high blood pressure reading is " in your head " ? This the wrong

question really. Your blood vessels can and did constrict, you didnt

" think " they did. In another scenario, from what I understand about

vaginismus, it seems women with it have had some kind of trauma whether

it be an acute incident of abuse, or ,vestibulitis or vulvadynia. Now,

having been raped or abused or having vestibultis or vulvdynia are

hardly the same. But they both affect one psychologcially, and the

defensive contraction is a *physical* event connected to a

*psychologcial event,* BUT it is also a *physical* event connected to a

*physical* event.

Then, it is also a psychological event connected to a

biological/physical event, on moer than pne level, because having

vaginismus becomes its own physical and psychological problem.

So the way I see it, is there is no real way to determine when a

psychological event begins or ends or overlap with a physical one,

especially when dealing with sexual issues,because they are supposed to

have a psychological component. Arousal, sex, pregnancy , childbirth are

all important to women's lives. It would be virtually impossible to

experience them normally without feeling anything. So if things go

wrong, we are definitely going to feel things in a big, big way.

I will wind down my rantings by saying that probably the reason the

terms psychogenic vs psychosomatic don't appear clear is because no good

physician would ever say *they* were clear on it. And the real kick in

the head is, because of our culture, it is implied that a mental

component is something *negative*. Traditional Eastern medicien, as I

understand it at least, doesn't " go there " .Mind and body issues are

addressed simultaneously, and, I suppose, with a good practicitioner, in

the spirit of balance and compassion.

Hope this helps. Or is at least interesting. : )

--

====================

Thielke

NuMuse Music

Kensington, MD

ts@...

====================

" Klattu...Burata......Nikto

Klattu...Burata......Nikto

Klattu...Burata......Nikto "

[Guest guest]

Gizelle:

I looked up the word psychogenic and it is defined as the following:

psychogenic = produced or caused by psychic or mental factors rather

than organic factors.

There is a condition I have found listed in some books called

" Scratch/Itch Syndrome " where women have some kind of problem causing

them to itch and they scratch the area which in turn causes rawness,

possible lesions and generalized discomfort. I agree with you

completely, though, when you say that they need to figure out why they

are scratching in the first place! Even if it is a psychological

disturbance, like someone said (can't remember who at the moment,

sorry!) - they should treat that anyway.

Heidi

mailto:dwalsh@...

http://www.angelfire.com/md/vulvardisorders