Mineyasu Sugita

Alexithymic feature in digestive diseases.

A comparative study was conducted on the psychological features of chronic pancreatitis, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis and the irritable colon syndrome by means of psychological tests and interviews. The patients with irritable colon syndrome were found to be the most neurotic of all, whereas those with the definite type of chronic pancreatitis and ulcerative colitis presented prominent alexithymic characteristics. About one half of the patients having peptic ulcer showed alexithymic features. Despite their neurotic tendencies shown on the psychological tests, the patients with the suspicious type of chronic pancreatitis were socially better adjusted than those with irritable colon syndrome. It was also noted that the concept of alexithymia needs to be elucidated by including such factors as over-adaptation to the environment, certain distorted life habits and lack of bodily sensations.

A Comparative Study on Somatic Treatment and Comprehensive Treatment of Bronchial Asthma

Asthmatic patients who were treated at our hospital for at least 3 months and for whom a follow-up was conducted were divided into 2 groups according to their attitudes toward psychotherapy: Group I who accepted psychotherapy and Group II who did not accept it as part of our comprehensive approach. We examined the differences in therapeutic results in these two groups obtaining the following information: (1) No significant differences was found between Groups I and II as to the onset age, family history, type, severity, laboratory findings, etc. (2) In Group I, no significant difference was found in therapeutic results as to the onset age, type of asthma, its severity, etc. (3) In Group II, a significant difference was observed in the therapeutic results as to the onset age, type of asthma and its severity. These findings were almost identical to the literature of the internal medicine field. (4) The difference in therapeutic results of Groups I and II was assumed to be related to the use of psychotherapy when psychological factors were present. (5) Although psychotherapy was shown to be effective in the treatment of bronchial asthma, we need to be aware that there is often initial resistance to the process and a tendency for patients to terminate prematurely.

Specificity Concepts in Japan

In this study, the authors discuss whether there are any differences in the acquired factors, such as psychosocial factors, related to the age at the onset of psychosomatic disorders, and whether or not there are any characteristics which can be considered unique to Japanese asthmatic patients. Many firstborns were found in those whose onset age was below 10 or in their teens. In those patients who had the onset of asthma in their 20s or 30s many women suffered problems with their mother-in-law after marriage or with their husbands who were interested only in work. We have also discussed that behind these phenomena, problems of parent-child relationship in early childhood were hidden.

Environmental Stress Factors and Bronchial Asthma

The stressors in the environment, especially psychosocial factors, do not always act pathogenically upon the individual. Whether or not psychosocial factors become pathogenic depends not only upon the power of these factors but also upon the individual’s predisposition, how he perceives and copes with them.

Psychosomatic Mechanism under Social Changes in Japan

After the termination of the Second World War, Japan was forced to reorganize its social and value systems. It has been a very difficult task to establish a constructive identity because the Japanese

Psychosomatic Studies of Japanese Youth Under Social Changes

Psychosomatic studies of adolescent patients were conducted at the Kyushu University Hospital. Among many adolescent psychosomatic disorders, the incidence of irritable colon syndrome ranked first. The dynamic mechanisms and therapeutic results of these patients were introduced. Next, an epidemiological study showed that the frequency of constipation and diarrhea rapidly increases over the period from junior high school to senior high school. Through matched pair studies conducted with high school students, significant interrelationships were proven to exist among the occurrence of diarrhea and constipation, awareness of illness and psychological factors.