Thyroid- this is one of the most important glands internal secretion. Its task is to store iodine and produce iodine-containing hormones, which are involved in energy and metabolic processes and are responsible for normal height organs and tissues, bone formation, maturation of the nervous system and sexual development.
This means that from thyroid gland normal mental and physical development human, since it is responsible for the normal functioning of the immune, endocrine, reproductive systems, as well as for normal carbohydrate, fat, protein and energy metabolism.
The main problems arising with the thyroid gland:
- hyperthyroidism (excessive activity of the gland with excess production hormones and acceleration of metabolic processes) and thyrotoxicosis as a consequence of hyperthyroidism;
- hypothyroidism (a state of hormone deficiency with energy deficiency and slowing down metabolic processes);
- euthyroidism ( pathological changes in the form of goiter formation, nodes, hyperplasia).
The causes of thyroid diseases are:
- disturbances in the functioning of the immune and endocrine systems,
- hereditary predisposition,
- infectious and chronic diseases,
- unbalanced diet,
- constant psycho-emotional overload,
- unfavorable environment,
- taking certain medications, etc.
Symptoms common to thyroid disorders:
- increased irritability or apathy,
- unexplained weight fluctuations,
- increased sweating,
- hot flashes or cold sensations,
- digestive disorders,
- disruption of the menstrual cycle,
- increased blood cholesterol,
- heart rhythm disturbance,
- hair loss,
- trembling of limbs,
- pronounced swelling,
- deterioration in concentration, etc.
Also distinguished individual symptoms, inherent in specific disorders of the thyroid gland.
In particular, hyperthyroidism due to an excess of hormones leads to thyrotoxicosis (poisoning of the body with hormones). An indicator of this disorder is increased heart rate, increased appetite with increased bowel movements (due to increased metabolic processes), fast weight loss with the loss of not only fat layer, but also muscle mass, the appearance of abdominal pain, enlarged liver size, irritability and high anxiety, etc.
Sometimes, as a consequence of thyrotoxicosis, there may be dangerous conditions – thyroid crises . They can be recognized by sharp increase temperature, tachycardia, nausea and vomiting, attacks of fear, as a result of which a person may fall into stupor.
Hypothyroidism , on the contrary, has exactly the opposite symptoms: deterioration of metabolic processes, slow heartbeat, digestive disorders, lack of appetite with weight gain, deterioration in appearance (condition of skin, nails, hair), decreased overall energy, feeling of weakness, apathy, fainting and etc.
Goiter (struma) - This is an increase in the volume of the thyroid gland.
Symptoms:
- change in the appearance of the eyeballs (bulging),
- lacrimation,
- swelling,
- hoarseness of voice,
- the appearance of pain and cough,
- shortness of breath,
- difficulty swallowing,
- weakness,
- lack of appetite,
- weight loss, etc.
Psychosomatics of thyroid diseases
The very name of the gland in question - “thyroid gland” (a gland in the form of a shield) clearly indicates its main function: that which protects. What is this gland designed to protect against?
The authors of works on psychosomatics claim that this gland is called upon protect a person from auto-aggression - aggression directed at oneself. Unfortunately, this happens often: when a person does not accept himself as he is (this is often related to his body), does not love himself, and even hates himself. There are other forms of conflict with oneself: an inferiority complex, “self-eating.” All of them lead to negative conditions, such as: constant stress, nervous breakdowns, depression, hopelessness, etc.
If such conditions are prolonged, the thyroid gland begins to signal internal problems with disturbances.
But each person reacts differently to internal problems. It seems that depending on which extreme he chooses - he becomes overly active or falls into passivity - he receives one or another gland disorder.
Hyperthyroidism as an overactive thyroid gland indicates too much active image life when a person lives by the need to prove or seek attention.
As Franz Alexander notes, this violation can also be consequence of an acute emotional conflict or mental trauma .
The psychosomatics of hypothyroidism explains this disease as a consequence of passivity: a person wants to be active, but cannot, because he is constrained by fear. Insufficient activity thyroid gland indicates that the patient he is afraid to manage his life himself, that he lacks independence.
Stress has been shown to have negative effects for people with hypothyroidism (but stress has been shown to have beneficial effects for people with hyperthyroidism).
Metaphysical causes of thyroid problems
Louise Hay claims that the thyroid gland is the most important gland immune system person. She identifies the following main negative attitudes leading to thyroid problems: feeling attacked by life; thought: they are trying to get to me; humiliation: “I’ve never been able to do what I love. When will it be my turn?.
Liz Burbo writes that the thyroid gland is connected to the throat center, which responsible for willpower, ability to make decisions, strength of character, development of one’s individuality. Hence, the absence of these qualities leads to problems with the gland.
The psychologist also notes that the throat center is considered the gate of abundance, since when a person lives his true desires and in harmony with his Self, he does not lack anything: neither health, nor love, nor happiness, nor material things. benefits
Liz Burbo claims that this energy center associated with the center located in the genital area, so a problem in one of them leads to problems in another center.
According to this author, hyperthyroidism occurs when a person leads an overly active lifestyle, because he believes that he must arrange the lives of his loved ones and only then can he afford a quiet life. Such a person does not think about his true needs, tries to prove something, is too demanding of himself and loved ones, tries to do everything quickly.
The occurrence of hypothyroidism, according to Liz Burbo, is due to the fact that a person afraid to act, although he says he wants to be active. According to the psychologist, this indicates that he lost contact with his creativity . Such it seems to a person that he is not fast and dexterous enough to achieve success, that he does not have the right to do what he wants, that he should not make his demands.
Dr. Luule Viilma believes that fear of being crushed by life, feelings of guilt, communication problems lead to problems with the thyroid gland.
V. Sinelnikov claims that the thyroid gland symbolizes creative expression . Hence, problems with this gland indicate problems with creative self-expression in a person.
The psychotherapist sees psychological causes of goiter unexpressed negative thoughts and emotions, minor grievances and complaints that form a lump in the throat.
Based on practice, the doctor writes that children can also develop goiter, if parents provide strong pressure, and the child cannot openly express his emotions because of fear of them.
According to Sinelnikov, a tumor of the thyroid gland indicates that the person feels strong pressure, believes that he is constantly humiliated, feels like a victim, a failed person. Such a person feels resentment and hatred for what is imposed in life, lives with a feeling of a distorted life.
A. Astrogor believes that the cause of psychosomatic diseases of the thyroid gland can be manifestation of complete defenselessness in situations when others impose something on a person, “take him by the throat” and do not allow him to speak out.
Ways to heal psychosomatic diseases of the thyroid gland
Based on the psychological reasons discussed, it is possible to find ways to heal psychosomatic thyroid diseases.
What will be common to all ailments the way to restore harmony with yourself through:
- accepting yourself as you are;
— respect for your position and the ability to stand your ground;
- love and care for yourself and your body;
- finding opportunities for your creative realization.
And for each specific ailment there are recommendations. For example, psychologist Liz Burbo offers the following ways to neutralize mental blockage that leads to problems with the thyroid gland:
- in the case of hyperthyroidism, it is necessary to lead a more relaxed lifestyle and enjoy life;
- in the case of hypothyroidism, you should forgive people who convinced that a person is not capable of achieving success on his own;
- awareness of your true needs (and not ignoring them) will allow you to grow spiritually (since the thyroid gland is associated with human growth), live in harmony with yourself and understand your purpose.
May peace and tranquility reign in your soul!
The thyroid gland is a tiny, butterfly-shaped gland at the base of your neck that controls many processes in your body. Many experts say that women over 35 now have a 35% risk of developing thyroid disease. But these numbers could be even higher, because most of patients simply do not know about their diagnosis.
Eat right, smile more often and!
Do you have problems with the thyroid gland? Let's consider the metaphysical (subtle, mental, emotional, psychosomatic, subconscious, deep) causes of thyroid diseases.
Dr. N. Volkova writes: “It has been proven that about 85% of all diseases have psychological causes. It can be assumed that the remaining 15% of diseases are associated with the psyche, but this connection has yet to be established in the future... Among the causes of diseases, feelings and emotions occupy one of the main places, and physical factors - hypothermia, infections - act secondary, as a trigger...
Dr. A. Meneghetti in his book “Psychosomatics” writes: “Disease is a language, the speech of the subject... To understand the disease, it is necessary to reveal the project that the subject creates in his unconscious... Then a second step is necessary, which the patient himself must take: he must change. If a person changes psychologically, then the disease, being an abnormal course of life, will disappear ... "
Let's consider the metaphysical (subtle, mental, emotional, psychosomatic, subconscious, deep) causes of thyroid problems.
Here's what world-famous experts in this field and authors of books on this topic write about it.
Liz Burbo in her book “Your Body Says Love Yourself!” writes about possible metaphysical causes of thyroid problems:
The thyroid gland is shaped like a shield and is located at the base of the neck. The hormones produced by this gland play a very important role important role in many processes in the human body. The main problems associated with this gland are -
HYPERTHYROIDIS (increase in function) and
HYPOTHYROIDSIS
(lack of function). Emotional Blockage: Thyroid Binds physical body man with his throat chakra
(energy center). A person’s willpower and his ability to make decisions to meet his needs, that is, to build his life in accordance with his desires and develop his individuality, depends on this chakra.
The thyroid gland is associated with growth, awareness of your true needs will allow you to grow spiritually and understand your purpose, your mission on this planet. If your thyroid is underactive, understand that only you can restore it normal function
Perhaps you need to forgive yourself or those people who have harmed you or convinced you that you are not capable of achieving success on your own. Know that these people did not appear in your life by chance, but in order to give you some necessary lesson - in particular, to teach you to show your creative abilities without fear. (The stages of forgiveness are described at the end of this book.)
Dr. Valery V. Sinelnikov in his book “Love Your Illness” writes about possible metaphysical causes of thyroid problems:
The thyroid gland symbolizes creative self-expression. Glandular diseases indicate that you have problems with self-expression.
Goiter.
The swelling indicates that you are under a lot of pressure. More precisely, you put pressure on yourself with the help of others. You feel like you are being attacked by life. You believe that you are constantly humiliated, and you have to endure this humiliation. You feel like a victim, a failed person. You feel resentment and hatred for what is imposed in life. There is a feeling of a distorted life.
One woman with a goiter told me:
I have the feeling that I was squeezed into some kind of corridor and forced to walk along it; and nowhere to turn. Often women whose husbands abuse alcohol develop a goiter. In such cases, unexpressed negative thoughts and emotions, minor grievances and complaints form a lump in the throat. But this happens not only in those families in which the husbands are alcoholics.
“My husband constantly nags me about every little thing,” a patient who was diagnosed with several nodes on the gland tells me. “I didn’t put on the right dress, or I didn’t put on the right makeup.” He literally doesn't let me take a step calmly.
It is very important to learn to take care of yourself, to know about your desires and needs, and to be able to express them openly. Being yourself is a wonderful medicine!
Sometimes goiter occurs in children. In such cases, the disease reflects a certain behavior of both the child and the parents.
The boy's thyroid gland has become enlarged. “Goiter of the second or third degree” - this was the diagnosis. We began to find out with the parents the causes of the disease. The father was very strict and put a lot of pressure on both the child and his wife.
“I want my son to be of some use in life,” he said.
Mother and son felt like victims. The child could not, and did not know how, to openly express his emotions because of fear of his father. They accumulated in the throat area, and as you know, this area is associated with self-expression.
If I do something, dad is almost always unhappy with it. “I’m already afraid to do anything,” the boy told me when we were left alone.
I gave it to the child homeopathic medicines, and the parents were tasked with changing their attitude towards each other and towards their son. Within a month, the size of the gland decreased by half.
According to Sergei S. Konovalov (“Energy-information medicine according to Konovalov. Healing emotions”), possible metaphysical reasons thyroid problems:
Causes: Feelings of humiliation and resentment.
Method of cure: All kinds of relaxation, step-by-step work on the emotional state and attracting the Energy of Creation.
Louise Hay in her book “Heal Yourself” points out the main negative attitudes (leading to illness) and harmonizing thoughts (leading to healing) associated with the appearance of problems and healing of the thyroid gland:
The most important gland of the immune system. Feeling attacked by life. They are trying to get to me. Humiliation. “I will never be able to do what I want. When will it be my turn?
Harmonizing thoughts: My kind thoughts strengthen the strength of my immune system. I have reliable protection inside and out. I listen to myself with love. I go beyond all limitations and express myself freely and creatively.
Hyperthyroidism(overactive thyroid syndrome): Anger at being ignored.
Harmonizing thoughts: I am at the center of life, I approve of myself and everything I see around me.
Hypothyroidism(syndrome caused by decreased activity of the thyroid gland): Give up. Feeling of hopelessness, stagnation.
Harmonizing thoughts: Now I am building a new life according to rules that completely satisfy me.
Goiter: Hatred of what is imposed in life. Victim. The feeling of a distorted life. A failed personality.
Harmonizing thoughts: I am the power in my life. Nobody stops me from being myself.
Psychosomatics of the thyroid gland - the study of adequate and inadequate functioning from the point of view psychological characteristics human life and personality.
The thyroid gland is responsible for producing the hormones and microelements we need, which help our body cope with a number of tasks. If it does not cope with this function correctly, then the person begins to experience a number of problems that are externally explained by fatigue or bad mood, or are even written off as “neighbors who are constantly annoying.” But not only mood, but also personal confidence and even willpower depend on the functioning of the gland, as a number of scientists believe.
According to statistics, women are more susceptible to problems with the thyroid gland, because they are more sensitive to conflicts in their environment. Of course, many experts note the mentioned problems associated with the characteristics of the regions in which people live. But, other things being equal, some people still get obvious signs diseases, and some do not. Doctors cannot explain why this happens and blame everything on immunity. But psychologists - .
The vast majority of patients note chronic stress, failures and nervous breakdowns that fill their lives. A state of hopelessness or “running in a vicious circle” constantly accompanies such a person.
There is another interesting factor that such people note - the inability to do what they like. Life in the need to act in a certain way, completely forgetting about personal needs, has an extremely negative impact on the condition of people.
Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland (hyperthyroidism) - psychological causes
Hyperfunction of the thyroid gland or hyperthyroidism is associated with the need to constantly work in an emergency, exhausting mode, which does not make a person happy at all. For example, a woman is forced to earn money to support her entire family, although she would really like to just be “for her husband.”
Sometimes, hyperthyroidism can occur against the background of indicative - “evidence” achievement of success. That is, a person experiences (often in childhood) acute resentment, which provokes him to prove his worth, intelligence and success. He works like crazy, no matter what, trying to show others what he is worth.
But the whole tragedy of the situation is that this has long been irrelevant to the offender. And the patient pushes himself, without experiencing satisfaction in the process, just to appear “great” in front of someone. As a result, satisfaction still does not come.
Hypothyroidism (hypothyroidism) - psychological causes
The direct opposite - hypofunction (hypothyroidism) is associated with the passivity of a person who is not given the opportunity to express himself and is driven into boundaries. Often hypofunction is caused by parental overprotection, which does not weaken in adulthood.
This may be accompanied by fear, fear of responsibility, and inability to insist on one’s own. A person is ready to admit his passivity as a minus, criticize himself and whine, but is unable to rebuild his way of life.
Thyroid diseases according to Liz Burbo
The famous psychologist and healer Liz Burbo also. She claims that thyroid problems are based on the following reasons:
- dissatisfaction with one’s life and the current situation, state of affairs and events;
- anger, both in relation to others and in relation to oneself personally;
- resentment that arises both at someone and resentment at oneself, at one’s inability to cope with something, or maybe a general resentment - at the situation, fate, coincidence, etc.;
- hatred, which can also be heterogeneous and affect all aspects of life, people, and even be directed at oneself.
Liz believes that the thyroid gland is the link to the throat chakra, and therefore problems with it are associated with a mismatch between what is positioned and what is felt and experienced. That is, hyperthyroidism does not always appear when a person is active, but when overactivity is debilitating. This is not what I would prefer this person, because he would like more regularity. And in the same context, hypothyroidism speaks of a desire to achieve goals and be more active. life position, while the person does nothing.
Diseases of the thyroid gland according to Louise Hay and V. Zhikarentsev
Louise Hay says that in general, any problem related to the thyroid gland shows that life has attacked you. The main feeling in this case may be humiliation. And most importantly topical issue becomes: “When will it be my turn?” She associates a decrease in the functions of the gland with constant experience suppression, as well as the need to make concessions, which are often meaningless.
Zhikarentsev associated the described problems with extreme disappointment in life due to the inability of self-realization. This inability leads to suppressed rage. Which destroys the gland.
Diseases of the thyroid gland according to Sinelnikov
V.V. Sinelnikov believes that the thyroid gland shows us the possibility of self-expression. If a person has problems with this, then the thyroid gland cannot function normally. Constant insults, humiliation, unspoken things, and most importantly, misunderstanding of a person lead to the awareness of life as “distorted.”
Glandular problems are often observed in spouses of alcoholics or relatives of drug addicts, as well as in wives of absolute authoritarian or oppressive husbands who criticize everything a woman does. A child who is unable to express his protest may also feel like a victim and “not like that.” Then it accumulates in the throat area and leads to changes. So, if you want your child to become a good person, develop a self-sufficient personality in him. Don’t force him into strict limits that affect his health.
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy for problems with the thyroid gland is aimed at identifying the reasons that could provoke a situation of tension. But, the most important stage becomes aware of the desire to change the current situation. After all, our body signals the impossibility of existing in it.
Understand the current needs that usual life we relegate to the background, maybe symboldrama, metaphorical cards, art therapy and many other techniques. They can also lead the patient towards solving the problem. After all, people often take on too much themselves, and then get angry that their loved ones don’t want to help them.
Or, on the contrary, a person is angry that everything is decided for him, and at the same time, his actions do not at all demonstrate the desire for autonomy and personal responsibility. In fact, people who help or hinder us in life appear for a reason. They should teach us to gain life experience.
For example, a person with hyperthyroidism must learn to redistribute some responsibilities to others, learn to identify reliable people, and most importantly, learn to trust others. It is important to allow yourself to rest, develop and improve yourself.
Insufficient gland function can be corrected by a person if he learns to take responsibility, learn autonomy and the need to defend his territory and point of view.
Prevention of psychosomatic diseases
From the point of view of the psychosomatic approach, the main point in disease prevention is listening to your body. Often problems with the thyroid gland are already his “loud cry”, and before that the feeling of constant dissatisfaction with the situation clearly affected his well-being and mood. Learn to live in harmony with yourself, understand what you need. After all, if you don’t take care of yourself, no one will want to do it for you.
There is one more point - the prevention of such diseases in children. We love our kids very much, we try to give them the best, to raise them to be “worthwhile” and successful members of society. How difficult it is sometimes to notice that we have gone too far with something. Children quickly give a somatic response to a problem.
Therefore, be sure to communicate with your baby, analyze his words and problems. And also try to exclude his presence when sorting out relationships between family members.
Protracted wars between different generations of people living under the same roof are especially dangerous; they can cause feelings of guilt and constant anxiety in the baby, interfere with its development, and cause a variety of reactions in the body, including somatic problems with the thyroid gland.
Franz Alexander.
Chapter from the book "Psychosomatic Medicine" Franz Alexander - American doctor, psychoanalyst, psychotherapist of Hungarian origin, recognized as one of the founders of psychosomatic medicine (psychosomatics) and
psychoanalytic criminology. Psychological factors in thyrotoxicosis (Graves' disease, or Graves' disease), like many others physiological mechanisms
this disease is well known. Therefore, this disease is particularly suitable for studying psychosomatic relationships. Development clinical syndrome may be preceded by various manifestations of emotional stress. Thus, 28% of 159 patients with hyperthyroidism examined by Maranon themselves reported that their disease was provoked by some emotional shock, and Conrad, having examined 200 patients, revealed the presence of mental trauma in 94% of cases. Similar results have been obtained by many researchers. Some of the first researchers of this problem were so amazed by the significance mental factors
as provoking agents of the disease, which led to talk about the existence of a “shock form of hyperthyroidism,” the development of which is caused by severe emotional shock. In this regard, Moskowitz noted that an emotional crisis affecting a large group of people often provokes illness in many individuals. Emotional disorders not only have etiological significance, but are also an important integral part symptomatology. In addition to enlarged thyroid gland, exophthalmos,, tremor, tachycardia, increased rate of basal and iodine metabolism in the blood, diarrhea and other signs of imbalance of the autonomic nervous system, there are characteristic psychological changes, such as irritability, mood swings, insomnia and anxiety, which form the general clinical picture. The same emotional changes can be caused by the administration of large amounts of thyroid hormone, so they can be considered a direct consequence of an overactive thyroid gland. Other symptoms, as will be shown below, are of neurogenic origin. The cause of hyperthyroidism is not yet completely clear, but the effects of thyroid hormones have been known since Horsley managed to cure the symptoms of myxedema by administering a thyroid extract. This type of therapy achieves significant somatic and psychological changes. This proves that normal mental functioning, in particular speed mental processes, depends on normal secretion thyroid gland. The lethargic, inhibited and intellectually impoverished personality of a patient with myxedema is a complete contrast to the lively, hypersensitive, anxious character of a patient with hyperthyroidism.
Apparently, the relationship between psychological processes and thyroid function is reciprocal. Thyroid secretion accelerates mental functions, increases alertness and sensitivity and thus creates a predisposition to anxiety reactions; at the same time, emotional experiences affect the secretion of the thyroid gland itself.
Psychosomatic observations
Hyperthyroidism can be triggered by many factors, but the most common ones are mental trauma and acute emotional conflict. The importance of emotional factors is demonstrated by the consistency with which emotional disturbances precede the onset of illness and the striking similarity between emotional factors and the personality structure of patients.
Many researchers have studied psychodynamic factors in patients with hyperthyroidism. Lewis noted in patients a pronounced incestuous fixation on the father and a predominance of fantasies about pregnancy. The only man examined by Lewis had homosexual tendencies, and his inverted Oedipus complex, based on female identification, resembled women.
In analyzing three women with hyperthyroidism, Conrad was struck by their extreme dependence on their mother, their fear of losing her affection and protection, and the problems that came with it. accepting the maternal role, which made them have difficulty identifying with their mother. Conrad also examined the anamnesis large number patients and revealed a statistically reliable fact of maternal loss in infancy, in particular during childbirth. Some of the male patients also showed excessive dependence on their mother. Apparently, a specific factor common to all patients is the difficulty of changing the role of the breadwinner.
Lidz also observed extraordinary attachment to parents in twelve of his patients.
Mittelman's information about sixty patients is less specific. He emphasized overdependence on parents and rigid norms and noted the role of trauma, which affects sensitive psychologically patient's place.
Brown and Gildea were struck by the similarities in personality traits that were present in the fifteen patients they studied, even before the onset of the clinical syndrome. For these patients, in their opinion, extreme self-doubt, a pronounced sense of responsibility and a tendency to control were typical. external manifestations emotions; Moreover, any threat to their safety, be it prolonged stress or unexpected emotional shock, could provoke hyperfunction of the thyroid gland. Although the authors did not emphasize this, their patients' histories showed a desperate struggle with the threat to their safety and attempts to cope with it on their own.
An anamnestic interview with twenty-four patients conducted by Ham, Carmichael, and Alexander in conjunction with participants in a psychosomatic seminar in the psychiatry department of the University of Illinois, and a psychoanalytic study of one patient conducted by Ham at the Chicago Psychoanalytic Institute, confirm the findings of previous researchers. In particular, this concerns the importance of fear and anxiety, pronounced dependence on parental figures, excessive self-doubt, as well as tendencies opposed to taking responsibility, achieving maturity, self-sufficiency and caring for others. The main goal this study was the identification of a characteristic psychodynamic pattern in which these various psychological factors connected to each other. Careful analysis of the data revealed a psychodynamic pattern that occurs in both men and women with hyperthyroidism. Security threat in early childhood or infancy was apparently a dynamic core and was often associated with a pronounced fear of death, which most of these patients experienced in early period life. This corresponds to Conrad's data on numerous cases of maternal death during the patient's childhood. However, this is not the only source of fear and insecurity; unsuccessful marriage of parents, instability of the personality of one of the parents, parental rejection, extreme forms of economic stress, the birth of a new child in large families and, as a consequence, neglect of older children and other life situations served as sources of fear and feelings of insecurity in these patients.
Both neurotic and healthy individuals often face threats to safety in childhood. Patients with thyrotoxicosis differ in the way they cope with it. Due to the external reasons described above, they cannot overcome anxiety by turning to their parents for help. Their dependency needs are constantly frustrated by parental attitudes, the loss of one or both parents, parental rejection, as well as conflicts of a more complex nature associated with feelings of guilt. Frustrated in these needs, they make a desperate attempt to prematurely identify with one of the parents, usually the mother. (“If she’s not around, then I have to become like her in order to be able to get along without her.”) This premature identification exceeds their physiological and psychological capabilities and leads to a constant struggle to cope with anxiety and feelings of insecurity through pseudo-confidence. This feature was observed by Conrad, who described it as an inability to live up to maternal standards, which these patients try in vain to achieve. Brown and Gildea observed this same phenomenon, noting the paradoxical coexistence of feelings of insecurity and attempts to take responsibility. Ruesch et al also noted that life circumstances often forced these patients to take on responsibilities for which they were not prepared.
The constant struggle with anxiety can manifest itself through denial, a kind of counterphobic attitude, that is, an obsessive desire to perform the actions that are most feared. This may explain the desire to take responsibility and be useful, despite self-doubt and dependence. In many patients, the most prominent character trait that had existed since childhood was the conscious assumption of a maternal role, in which they became second mothers to sisters and brothers.
This same emotional contradiction manifests itself in other forms - in the obsessive desire to become pregnant, despite the fear of pregnancy, or in an attempt to cope with fear at the expense of one’s self-sufficiency, which the patient tries to achieve through identification with a person towards whom frustrated desires of dependence are directed. Likewise, the fear of death is overcome by the desire to give life to children. One deals with the loss of one's mother by becoming a mother. This may be expressed through fantasies of pregnancy, as noted by Nolan Lewis. Such constant efforts to cope with anxiety explain the significant prevalence of phobias in the history of patients with hyperthyroidism.
A unique and striking feature is the frequent occurrence of dreams about death, coffins, ghosts and dead people, which these patients spontaneously talk about.
The intense repression of hostile impulses resulting from overdependence was observed in the Chicago study and by Ruesch et al. The adoption of a maternal, protective attitude towards younger siblings often represents overcompensation for competition with them and requires the repression of hostility. Protecting younger siblings provides indirect satisfaction of the patient's own dependency needs and also atones for feelings of guilt caused by rivalry.
Pseudo-maturity, exaggerated efforts to take on the maternal role through frequent pregnancies and excessive concern for others, counterphobic attitudes - all this reflects an attempt by a patient with hyperthyroidism to cope with anxiety at the expense of self-sufficiency. This constant desire for self-sufficiency, the patient's need to become independent too early, can be explained by the fact that anxiety generated by a threat to security in early childhood cannot be eliminated by dependence on others.
These features are illustrated by the following extracts from case histories.
A striking example of the loss of a sense of security at an early age in connection with the death of parents and the impact of other death episodes is given in the story of D.B., a 32-year-old white woman, a widow, who, having lived in severe poverty as a child, was subjected to, after her parents' divorce, in addition, rough treatment from the stepfather. When she was four years old, a woman burned to death before her eyes. At the age of eight, she witnessed a coffin tip over and the dead body of her little friend, a three-year-old girl, fall out onto the floor. She witnessed her grandfather's suicide and her grandmother's death. The horror of these events is still clearly etched in her soul. Subsequently, her husband died and she was forced to support the family.
Examples of a premature need for independence, manifested in active assistance to the family or in caring for younger brothers and sisters, are the following:
B. R., a 13-year-old white girl, is described by her mother as a “little old lady” because she matured very early and was obedient and dutiful. She learned to cook at the age of six and has been cooking and helping around the house ever since. When my mother was sick, she swept and cleaned the house and generally took care of the whole family. She acted like a second mother to her younger brother.
H.D., a 35-year-old single man, the last of eight children, is the only male survivor. His two brothers died at the age of ten and three years, respectively, and another brother died at home a week after birth, when the patient was two years old. His father, a puritanical man, was rude and dispassionate, thereby hiding his own weakness and self-doubt. He was clearly demonstrative in his displays of love and affection with his children while they were helpless infants, but demanded adult behavior from them as soon as they could walk and talk. The father humiliated the mother because in her youth she gave birth to an illegitimate child ( older sister patient), and he married her “out of pity.” She was unable to stand up to her father and, when the patient was still small, worked for several years in the family store. The father did not allow the mother and older sisters to pay much attention to the patient. After the patient entered first grade, the father insisted that no one else read books to him because he had to learn to read on his own. Because of constant pressure he had to behave like an adult, but at the same time he was constantly limited in actively pursuing his own interests.
The inability to openly express hostility, particularly due to sibling rivalry, is common to almost all patients.
E. B., a 24-year-old single colored woman, was a gifted child who developed rapidly during her school years. She was extremely conscientious and never skipped work. Her mother was a teacher, "very intelligent and beautiful woman" The patient was clearly competitive with her, but never expressed her hostility openly. When her mother became ill, the patient began to care for her two younger sisters and took on the role of mother. She supported them financially even while she was in college. She was always independent and extremely ambitious, controlling or suppressing most of her feminine desires in order to achieve intellectual goals.
The desire to perpetuate oneself through the birth of children is clearly manifested in the following case:
After graduating from high school and college, D.B. abandoned her ambition to become a doctor and “made the decision” to study to become a pharmacist. At eighteen, she married a childhood friend and they ran a business together. Despite her frigidity, she wanted to have children and over fourteen years had five children, whom she named Carrie, Barry, Garry, Terry and Mary. She claimed that “if her husband had not died, she would have given birth to as many children as she could afford.” medical science. It’s very difficult and painful to give birth to them, but the harder it is for me, the more I love them.” After the death of her husband, the patient worked two jobs at the same time to be sure that the children would be well dressed. In addition, she took into the house a great-aunt who did nothing and needed care.
The counterphobic mechanism of coping with anxiety is illustrated by the following case.
S.K., 43 years old white man, was attacked by armed robbers. Instead of complying with their demands, he attacked them and was hit with a baton, knocking him unconscious. He experienced dysphonia and tonic blepharospasm for some time after this event. He claimed that he had never known fear. Several times, when the master accused him unfairly or forced him to do dangerous work, he became enraged and quietly followed him to the office, intending to fight.
An expressed desire to become pregnant can be identified in the following case.
F. S., a 36-year-old white married woman, was the eldest of ten siblings, of whom only four survived. Until the age of thirteen, she stayed at home and helped her mother. Throughout her youth and until her marriage at the age of thirty-one, she experienced a strong fear of men. However, she became engaged at the age of thirty, despite her father's objections, but developed severe nervousness, diarrhea, and lost weight throughout the engagement period. She experienced a strong conscious desire to become pregnant and became pregnant almost immediately after the wedding. As soon as she found out about the pregnancy, she began to feel “excellent”, and during the pregnancy and the first two years after giving birth, she recovered, got better and began to feel happier and stronger than ever before in her life. During the same period, she was constantly faced with housing problems, which was the usual lot of women who follow their matriculation military service husbands from one army camp to another. Her symptoms began when the patient and her husband moved to live in his parents' house. Further pregnancies were out of the question due to financial difficulties. The patient decided to get a job and earn money so that she could live in her own home, live independently and securely, and have more children.
The following cases illustrate typical dreams about death.
D.B. related several dreams from which she woke up in fear. “Grandfather and grandmother were lying in coffins and reaching out to me, trying to drag me into their coffin; Grandma was dead, covered with flowers, and I tried to throw them off. My husband was either chasing me, trying to catch me, or trying to drag me into a coffin.” At the same time, the patient noted: “I have always been afraid of death.” After leaving the hospital, she wrote a will.
S. D., a 33-year-old colored woman, reported the following dream. “A hearse pulled up to my bed and there was a bearded, elderly white man in it who started reaching out to me.”
J.K., a 42-year-old white married woman, had frequent dreams about beds. She always had these dreams before a family member died. One day she dreamed of five beds, “a mother, a father, two children and a husband.” A week before this conversation, she dreamed: “I’m making my bed. She is mine". In her opinion, this meant that she had to die.
Psychosomatic considerations
Since we know about the stimulating function of the thyroid gland in the development of an infant, the thought arises of linking the increased activity of this gland with the expressed need of a patient with hyperthyroidism to become mature as quickly as possible. There is no doubt that the patient's constant efforts to maintain pseudo-maturity must cause great stress and they can activate the secretion of thyroid-tropic hormone by the anterior pituitary gland. Consequently, when psychological defenses against frustrated dependent needs (such as hyperactivity, helping others, or taking on a mothering role) fail and the subject is no longer able to cope with the underlying anxiety, the tension can become overwhelming and overstimulate the maturational system. , which due to constant demand accelerated maturation and continuous efforts with early age was chronically overloaded.
The fundamental question remains unanswered: Why do these patients respond to insecurity with a progressive desire for maturity rather than with regressive symptoms? The mere fact that the fulfillment of their dependent tendencies was constantly thwarted by circumstances does not fully explain this type of reaction. It is possible that they previously went through a period of successful adaptation, probably in very early childhood, which reinforced their tendency towards independence. Of course, heredity may be a deciding factor.
Most authors recognize, in addition to environmental influences, a hereditary factor in susceptibility to hyperthyroidism, but differ in their assessment of its significance. For example, an experienced clinician like Moskowitz tends to emphasize the role of the environment, whereas Brown and Gildea emphasize hereditary predisposition. Be that as it may, there can be little doubt that the patient with hyperthyroidism is a person who has tried for a long time to fight anxiety, trying to become self-sufficient too early, and this pseudo-maturity may be accompanied by such tension that an imbalance arises when life situation makes the fight impossible.
In case of endocrine pathology, one cannot talk about specific subordination mental symptoms. So-called endocrine psychology tries to analyze the differentiated somatopsychic relationships between the action of hormones in different periods of life and human experiences and actions. The most common endocrine diseases are thyroid disease and diabetes.
(increase in function) and
Hypothyroidism [from hypo... and lat. (glandula) thyreoidea - thyroid gland], decreased thyroid function. G. - a mild form of myxedema. The main signs of G.: fatigue, physical and mental lethargy, drowsiness, slowness, memory loss, chilliness, puffiness of the face, swelling of the eyelids, dry skin, hair loss, constipation, decreased basal metabolism, etc.
Hypothyroidism refers to an insufficient supply of thyroid hormones to the body's cells. The leading symptom of hypothyroidism is a slowing and change in mood and emotional response. Patients have increased fatigue, memory impairment, lethargy, drowsiness, chilliness, brittle hair and nails, decreased body temperature, low blood pressure, constipation. A lack of iodine in the diet plays an important role in the development of hypothyroidism and other thyroid diseases. Hypothyroidism occurs 10 times more often in women than in men.
Personality picture
Patients experience a lack of interest and complete lack of initiative both in their daily activities - at work, at school, in charge household. The lack of interest also extends to social activities. In most cases, hypothyroidism can develop after the patient gives up on achieving a desired goal, gives up hope and subordinates his life to an unpleasant routine for which he feels an internal disgust.
This psychological situation can be compared to an emotional sit-in. When. a person finds himself frustrated in his true desires and inclinations and is forced to engage in boring activities in spite of at will, he is developing own form protest. This emotional condition often accompanied by aggressive fantasies in which these people abandon all efforts and ambitions; they allow themselves to realize their desires only in their imagination.
The following factors appear to be specific to hypothyroidism:
1. Lack of hope of achieving any desired goal; frustrating struggle against insurmountable obstacles;
2. Lack of genuine motives. Activities, especially monotonous activities, which are performed primarily under the influence of external pressure or as a result of internal compulsion, rather than on the basis of an all-absorbing interest.
3. The role of anxiety is less stable. In some cases, under the influence of prolonged frustration, compensatory aggressiveness arises, which leads to anxiety. In the future, this contributes to a regressive withdrawal from activity.
4. In a number of cases, men develop an identification with a woman, which is opposed to aggressive, ambitious attitudes.
There is no specific personality type that falls into this category; Anyone can exhibit temporary symptoms of this type of exhaustion to some degree.
Psychotherapy
Drug treatment or diet to eliminate iodine deficiency is necessary in most cases of hypothyroidism. Many patients can be helped by changing external circumstances, giving them the opportunity to realize their true motives. In other cases, the presence of internal conflicts does not allow such simple solution and requires systematic psychotherapy.
The main problems associated with this gland are -
Hyperthyroidism [from hyper... and lat. (glandula) thyreoidea - thyroid gland], increasing the function of the thyroid gland. G. is one of the manifestations of diffuse toxic goiter. G. usually occurs as a result of mental trauma, sometimes with various diseases and conditions (tuberculosis, rheumatism, pregnancy, etc.), less often as a result of an infection. Manifests increased excitability nervous system, increased reflexes, mild mental excitability, fatigue, increased heart rate, trembling hands, sweating, increased basal metabolism, weight loss. G. is often combined with disorders of the functions of other endocrine glands. Treatment: sedatives nervous system, microdoses of iodine, etc.
Personality picture
The interaction of hereditary factors and environmental influences in early childhood can determine the tendency to hyperthyroidism. Since environmental influences and their mental processing play a significant role, it seems justified to look at a two-stage mechanism, according to which predisposing factors can act together with early childhood family influences
The classical psychosomatic approach sees the psychodynamic origins of the disease in the lack of security and reliability in early childhood, when this security is violated by death or parental rejection and/or unhealthy family relationships. An unsatisfied desire for attachment encourages patients to identify with the object of their aspirations. This early identification, however, leads to physiological and psychological overload and ends constant struggle, uncertainty and fear due to low self-esteem.
To the described classical The psychodynamic configuration includes a pronounced consciousness of responsibility and readiness for activity, which, however, is suppressed by a feeling of fear, manifesting itself through counterphobias. The constantly anticipated threat to security is overcome by exerting one's own strength. Many researchers have noted the willingness of patients to show concern for others, for example, by caring for the sick. This often manifests itself in the form of taking on maternal responsibilities in relation to younger brothers and sisters, which leads to overcompensation for aggressive impulses and competition with them. Security threat - common occurrence both in adults and children.
It is typical for patients with thyrotoxicosis that their fears and need for dependence may not manifest themselves directly, but indirectly, in the form of taking responsibility and counterphobic denial.
(For example, instead of talking through their fears, patients take full responsibility)
Counterphobic traits are found in more than 2/3 of patients, denial and repression of fear - in more than 1/3 of patients. The desire for social success, work and responsibility in patients apparently has the function of self-soothing. 4/5 patients throughout their lives demonstrate a desire to continuously achieve success; a sense of duty in relation to their studies and work sometimes leads them to exhaustion. Women have an increased need to bring children into the world, and if possible, then also to adopt someone (Brautigam, Christian, 1973).
As with others psychosomatic diseases, the question remains unresolved why patients react to the high demands of life not with regression and passive care, but, on the contrary, with such an acceleration of efforts. This is a question about psychophysical predisposition and how it is formed under the influence of heredity and living conditions in early childhood.
Patients show a willingness to constantly exceed their tasks. It appears that these patients were forced in childhood to a level of independence that they were not prepared to cope with, be it the early loss of a mother, divorce or parental quarrels, or the children's premature involvement in parental conflicts or raising younger siblings. Patients are significantly more likely to be the eldest of several children. They give the impression of personal maturity, which, however, is not adequate in all situations and only barely hides weakness and fear, fear of the sex life of adults, of separation or personal responsibility, or in general of the need to survive. Their fantasies are filled with dying and death. A hyperthyroid patient is a person who “has been trying to cope with his fear all his life.”
First of all, the somatopsychic aspect is important, showing how the readiness for activity and the subconscious counterphobic attitude rejecting fear change under the influence of treatment. The anxiety, agitation and fearfulness noted in the acute phase of the disease gradually disappear after eliminating the thyroid-induced increased metabolism, as well as emotional lability, increased sensitivity to heat, impulsiveness. This change, which is completely obvious to others, is often experienced by the patient as a loss. Patients complain of loss of initiative, decreased ability to work and dysphoria up to depressive disorders. The euthyroid state is regarded by them as a limitation of the activity and functional capabilities of the self (Banner, 1968).
Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy should include focal processing of conflict triggering situations Rodewig 1993.
Even with a good condition of the thyroid gland with hyperthyroidism and full substitution, psychopathological symptoms (depression, imbalance, sleep disorders) may persist. The reason for this may be that when slightly elevated level hormones in the blood, patients feel active and revitalized, and with normal levels they perceive their condition as passive-apathetic, lack of initiative and prone to depressive reactions. A psychotherapeutic conversation in combination with properly conducted psychotherapy can, along with processing conflict situation suppress currently existing psychopathological symptoms. The latter is mostly associated with experiences of relationships in the family and at work, with the issue of switching to a new level of activity. By studying crisis situations and the nature of the disease, it is possible to help the patient develop a lifestyle and an attitude towards health that would not involve any risk of recurrence of the disease.
Methods of transactional analysis, art therapy, cognitive psychotherapy, gestalt therapy, and psychosynthesis are successfully used.
Positive psychotherapy for thyroid diseases
Diseases of the thyroid gland - the ability to activate all life processes and thus grow rapidly and age prematurely (hyperthyroidism); the ability to slow down life processes and thereby avoid overload (hypothyroidism).
Disorders and physiology.
The fact that the thyroid gland plays an important role in regulating and overcoming psychophysical extreme situations, confirm the facts that during pregnancy and prolonged stress, the thyroid gland enlarges and its function increases.
Certain, frequently repeated family experiences in patients with hyperthyroidism play an important role in the development of personality and the emergence of an actual conflict situation.
Because the constant fear life cannot be reduced by the support of loved ones, it is quite often overcome by the fact that the future patient with hyperthyroidism prematurely acquires the competence of the parents and, with it, independence from them and intensively develops a responsible consciousness and readiness for activity.
A patient with hyperthyroidism tends to sacrifice himself for the sake of others. The hostile feelings that arise in relation to the “lucky ones” are repressed and overcompensated by increased activity.
“Rules of the game” that the child learned for life in parental home, you can imagine something like this: “Look, you can handle it yourself. We can't take care of you. We have a lot of troubles of our own.” In accordance with this, such current abilities as hardworking/activity, obedience, frugality and commitment are especially manifested. The spheres of contacts and the body are completely determined by the desire for success and achievement.