Private clinic for somatoform disorders

When physical complaints have no organic cause

Somatoform disorders affect about five to ten percent of Germans – men and women to the same extent. If the diagnosis is made, those affected have usually been suffering from the symptomatology of physical illnesses and chronic pain for at least two years, without these being physically justifiable.

Not only the long and complicated patient journey but also the many negative examination results and the increased everyday burden in the social, interpersonal, and family spheres have an enormous impact on the lives of those affected. As a result, they live in constant concern for their lives and health and seek out various doctors simultaneously to find the cause. In doing so, many affected persons also expose themselves to an actual health risk by taking different prescribed medications in parallel without taking into account a mutual agreement between the treating physicians. On the other hand, other sufferers of somatization disorder radically change their way of life. Let our experts advise you without obligation at +49 3996 140490.

Symptoms Somatoform disorders

Symptoms of the somatoform disorder can occur in any body organ system and any part of the body. The most common are as follows:

Back pain, arm pain, leg pain
Feeling of shortness of breath, shortness of breath
Pain during urination, lower abdominal pain
Chest pain, feeling of pressure, heart pounding, heart stuttering
Abdominal pain, digestive problems, nausea, feeling of fullness
Migraine
Skin irritation
Sexual unwillingness
Menstrual cramps, potency problems

Risk and trigger factors

The following factors promote somatization disorders:

Stressful situations with high periods of tension
Experiences of loss and separation
Overburdening
Unconscious conflicts
Interpersonal stress processes such as anger, resentment, despair, traumatic experiences, dissatisfaction with self and environment
Feelings of helplessness, disappointment, and worthlessness
Difficulty expressing emotions adequately

Causes Somatoform Disorders

A wide range of factors can be considered as causes of somatoform disorders. Stress factors and traumas in early childhood and adolescence are particularly relevant. Nevertheless, different theories are considered, which try to explain the somatoform disorder in its development in an understandable way:

The psychoanalytic model: internal conflicts are externalized through the body
The learning-theoretical explanatory approach: recurring behavioral patterns solidify the somatization disorder to the extent that the affected person cannot break the vicious circle on his or her own
The neurobiological model: heritability is not an exclusion criterion; the central nervous system increases the sensitivity to pain

Here's how we effectively treat your somatoform disorder

In most cases, sufferers of somatoform disorders initially feel misunderstood. They may not be taken seriously, as the cause of their complaints has often been sought in the wrong place over a long period. The publicly perceivable physical suffering creates a framework for those affected that ensures them the attention and compassion of their fellow human beings, and they are allowed to admit their weakness.

This often makes a precise diagnosis even more difficult, as those affected vehemently resist the idea that their illness could be a psychologically induced disorder. Here, treating physicians and therapists alike must be very empathetic and understanding. Patients often find it challenging to come to terms with the diagnosis of a somatoform disorder. Since most of those affected have a lasting lack of trust in doctors, the doctor-patient relationship should first be strengthened and characterized by a trust to ensure that the therapeutic goal is achieved.

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High frequency psychotherapy

LIMES Sports.Care

Healing Environment

Holistic treatment concept

Holistic treatment concept for somatoform disorders

As part of inpatient treatment at our private clinic for somatoform disorders, our patients undergo an extensive history-taking and diagnostic phase to elicit individual disease factors. By embedding them in a multimodal, individualized clinic concept, the therapy components can be adapted to your specific requirements. This is because a close link between psychotherapy, specialist presence, physiotherapy, and a medically based sports concept is indispensable in this area.

In the course of treatment, a disorder model is developed, which helps to understand the disease correlations and recognize psychophysiological interactions. Specific measures and strategies for coping with pain are developed, increasing self-efficacy expectations.

An integrative therapy approach for somatoform disorders enables a combination of behavioral therapy and depth psychological elements, the content of which is rounded off by the development of mindfulness-based methods and relaxation techniques to focus attention and increase the ability to self-regulate consciously. Through the LIMES Sports.Care program, a decoupling of activity and pain is to be promoted.