• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.3-7
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• 2009

Psychiatric disorders are quite common in surgical patients. However, surgeons are less likely to refer patients to psychiatrists than other physicians, who also have a tendency to under-recognize psychiatric disorders among their patients. Therefore, a large proportion of psychopathology in surgical patients is either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and not optimally treated, if treated at all. This column focuses on common psychiatric issues that generally arise in surgical patients and reviews psychiatric issues specific to specialized surgical settings and patients (eg, burn units, obesity surgery).

• Sleep Medicine and Psychophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2002

Alexithymia represents deficits in the cognitive processing and regulation of emotions. It is observed in many cases of psychosomatic disease, anorexia nervosa, panic disorder, depression etc. Many studies have shown that alexithymia is associated with maladaptive styles of emotion regulation, low emotional intelligence, interhemispheric transfer deficit, and reduced rapid eye movement density. Psychotherapies that enhance emotional awareness may be effective in alleviating the difficulties of alexithymic individuals. Aexithymia is useful for constructing the role of personality and emotions in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. It may serve as a bridge between neurobiology and psychology. We review recent alexithymia theory and research and their implications for treatment of psychosomatic disorders.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.97-102
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• 2000

In the study of psychosomatic disorders caused by Qi-experience, the results were as follows: 1. People are becoming more and more interested in qigong, but sometimes peple are suffer from side effects from Qi-experience. In oder to treat this side effects of qigong, it is important to control Qi unbalance. And this is associated with the mechanism of stress-reaction. 2. The causes of side-effects were tension of body and mind, concentration of head, enduring breath, and wrong qigong-method, etc. 3. The symptoms of side-effects were headache, flushing face, chest discomfort, neck stiffness, indigestion, etc. 4. The theraphy of side-effects is herb-medicine, acupuncture, moxibution, and more effective by application of psychotheraphy, relaxation-theraphy, music, aroma, taping.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2008

With the rapid growth of geriatric population, geriatric psychiatric consultation has come to play a more important role in recent years. It is necessary to find out characteristics of psychiatric consultation-liaison in elderly and applicate practical guideline of consultation in medical setting. Management of medically ill elderly in psychiatric consultation requires different guideline from that of other age group patient. Because aging and each organ-specific diseases change the pharmacokinetics of psychotropic drugs variably. These pharmacokinetic changes should be considered in psychosomatic treatment in medically ill elderly. The relatively low consultation rates for psychiatric disorders in the elderly indicate that research is needed into factors that both prevent and facilitate elderly patients with psychological symptoms from consulting their general practitioners.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.876-884
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• 2016

Objective: To report a case of a patient with a psychosomatic disorder who complained of hyperventilation and was treated with oriental medical treatments and emotional freedom techniques (EFTs). Methods: The patient was diagnosed as having a psychosomatic disorder through an interview and several psychological tests, such as the house-tree-person (HTP) and the person in the rain (PITR) tests. We treated the patient with oriental medical treatments that included herbal medications, western medications, moxibustion, cupping, and EFT. Results: After the treatments, the clinical symptoms of the patient were improved. Conclusions: Oriental medical treatments and EFT may be effective treatments for psychosomatic disorders.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.12 no.sup1
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• pp.85-92
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• 2009

Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in children and adolescents are influenced by diverse psychiatric components such as psychosocial stresses, familial environment, school-related situations, and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Absolutely psychiatric symptoms of pediatric patients are also affected by problems of GI system. Lots of symptoms including anorexia, dyspepsia, nausea and so on are commonly originated from either GI or psychiatric causes or both. Sometimes the negative interactions between GI and psychiatric problems aggravate the severity and eventually decline the functions of children and adolescents with GI symptoms. We summarized the common GI and psychiatric conditions which have GI and psychiatric associations. To a clinician who manages pediatric GI disorders, psychiatric considerations can be beneficial to understand the clinical manifestations of patients and to find the way to relieve them. This short and somewhat superficial review may help to have a bird's-eye view on this topic.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.185-192
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• 2017

Objectives : The aims of present study was to investigate clinical characteristics of male patients with eating disorders. Methods : The present study included 32 male patients with eating disorders and 75 female patients with eating disorders, recruited from an eating disorders specialized clinic in a university hospital, Seoul, Korea. We compared clinical characteristics of eating disorders and comorbid conditions of depression and anxiety between men and women with eating disorders. Correlations between eating disorders psychopathology in men with eating disorders and their weight suppression(WS) were investigated. Results : There was no difference in age at presentation, age of onset, illness duration, and body mass index at presentation between genders. Male patients with eating disorders had higher rates of premorbid overweight or obesity than female patients with eating disorders had. WS in the male patients was associated with the severity of their eating disorders. Conclusions : The present study provides grounds for improved understanding for clinical features of eating disorders in males.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.54-60
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• 2016

Alexithymia is characterized by difficulties identifying and describing feelings, impoverished fantasy life, and concrete and poorly introspective thinking. Alexithymic patients have been reported to show a stable deficit with regard to processing and regulating emotions. Eating disorders are characterized by a persistent disturbance of eating or eating-related behavior that significantly impairs physical health or psychosocial functioning. Like alexithymic patients, patients with eating disorders show the impaired capacity to process and regulate emotions. There is a robust body of literature showing patients with eating disorders are more alexithymic than healthy controls. Specifically, patients with eating disorders experience difficulties identifying and describing emotions. Childhood maltreatment can increase the risk for depression and alexithymia, which can in turn lead to disordered eating symptoms. Also, higher levels of alexithymia are correlated with a less favorable clinical outcome in patients with eating disorder. Therefore, treatments to help processing and regulating emotions of eating disorder patients with pronounced alexithymic traits may seem to lead to a higher possibility of recovery.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 1996

Objects : This study was attempted to evaluate the body image and the self concept in high risk adolescents for eating disorders. Methods 589 middle school students were investigated with EAT(Eating Attitude Test) and BITE(Bulimic Investigatory Test Edinburgh) and Schematic Figures(Child/Adolescent Version) and Piers-Harris Self-Concept Scale. According to the score of EAT and BITE, three high risk groups(high EAT group, high BITE group, high EAT & BITE group) were identified. Three groups were examined in terms of sex, weight, self concept and body image. Each group was EAT group, BITE group, EAT & BITE group Results: The results of the study were as follows : 1) EAT & BITE group showed greatest body image distortion. 2) BITE group and EAT & BITE group showed lower score in self concept scale. 3) The majority of EAT group were boys, BITE group and EAT & BITE group were mostly girls. 4) All three high risk groups, especially Bin group, revealed overweight compared with normal control group. Conclusions : High BITE group and high EAT & BITE group could be considered as significantly high risk groups for eating disorders, showing overweight, severe body image distortion, and poor self concept. EAT score alone seemed not to discriminate high risk adolescents for eating disorders.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2023

Objectives : This study aims to identify various psychiatric symptoms and psychosomatic symptoms caused by COVID-19 infection and investigate their long-term impact. Methods : A systematic literature review was conducted, selecting papers from domestic and international databases using keywords such as "COVID-19" and "psychosomatic." A total of 16 papers, including those using structured measurement tools for psychosomatic symptoms, were included in the final analysis. Results : Psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and somatic symptoms have been reported in acute COVID-19 infection, while long-term post-COVID symptoms include chest pain and fatigue. The frequency of long-term psychosomatic symptoms has been estimated to be 10%-20%. Factors contributing to these symptoms include psychological and social stress related to infectious diseases, gender, elderly age, a history of psychiatric disorders, and comorbid mental illnesses. It is suggested that systemic inflammation, autoimmune responses, and dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system may be involved. Conclusions : Psychosomatic symptoms arising after COVID-19 infection have a negative impact on quality of life and psychosocial functioning. Understanding and addressing psychiatric aspects are crucial for symptom prevention and treatment.