According to the results of numerous scientific studies, it became known that about 86% of all diseases have a psychological basis. Among the causes of the appearance of various ailments, the emotional sphere of a person occupies a leading position, secondary factors are the influence of the external environment: infections, viruses, hypothermia, and so on. Many doctors believe that constipation is no exception in this case, it occurs due to the psychological discomfort of a person. Therefore, psychosomatics for constipation is considered by medical professionals as one of the factors in the onset of the disease.
Problem description
Constipation is difficult bowel movements. This disease is inherent in half of the adult and child population of the planet. Normally, the number of bowel movements ranges from three times a day to three times a week. With constipation, there is a feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestine after bowel movements, a small amount of feces. Presenceone of these signs suggests that a person is characterized by constipation, the psychosomatics of which will be discussed below. This disease appears between the ages of twenty-five and forty, and then it gets worse. In old age, the disease occurs many times more often. It is customary to distinguish between organic and functional constipation. The first include anatomical changes in the intestines, while the second - a disorder of the psycho-emotional sphere.
Functional constipation
With this type of ailment, there is a lack of defecation for up to three days, pain and bloating, prolonged urge to defecate, which end in success. In this case, no changes in the intestine occur. Functional constipation belongs to a group of diseases that are combined in IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). They are often chronic and do not always heal.
Many people who have this pathology do not recognize themselves as sick, do not turn to doctors, because the disease does not affect their quality of life. Other people go to the doctor because they experience a feeling of discomfort that affects their lives. When interviewing patients, they reveal the psychosomatics of constipation, which manifests itself with an abundance of stress and neurosis, mental disorders and emotional disorders, and certain living conditions also affect. Therefore, not only a gastroenterologist should deal with treatment, but also a neurologist with a psychologist.
Psychological Constipation
Very often due to psychological problemsconstipation, psychosomatics, the causes of which will be discussed later. With psychological constipation, violations of the human autonomic nervous system are observed, as a result of which intestinal motility slows down. About ten percent of people have these problems and go to the toilet once every three days. Some experts consider this a norm that does not require treatment. It is usually difficult to determine the cause of psychological constipation in a person, as diagnosis requires the presence of other symptoms, such as bloating, insomnia, or abdominal pain.
Freud on the problem
Studying the problem of intestinal disorders, an Austrian psychiatrist found that most often the psychosomatics of constipation in adults manifests itself when a person has a stubborn character, a tendency to frugality and a deep pedantic love for cleanliness. These three qualities are now commonly referred to as Freud's anal triad. Of course, this assumption is controversial, today it is not clear how these factors affect the development of pathology.
Sigmund Freud argued that when parents force children to share their all things or, on the contrary, incline to greed, then the child develops a holding personality type. When he grows up, he becomes reserved and controlling, he is distinguished by stubbornness, conservatism, and sometimes cruelty. Such people do not tolerate disorder, it is difficult to part with the past. This personality type is characterized by a deep mindset that is manifested by constant limitations and need.
These personality traits are very strong, such is their psychosomatics of constipation. People with this pathology are outwardly calm, but inside they experience very strong tension, which makes it difficult for the intestines to relax.
Sinelnikov V. V. about the problem of constipation
Sinelnikov, a homeopathic doctor, claims that constipation is a symbol of unwillingness to get rid of outdated thoughts, a person in this case constantly clings to his past, is afraid to give up something in life, fearing the inability to make up for the loss - such is the psychosomatics of constipation. Sinelnikov says that in order to get rid of the disease, it is necessary to remove all old unnecessary things from the house and put new ones in their place. Many psychologists and psychiatrists believe that diseases arise due to a special perception of the outside world. To find the cause of the disease, you need to plunge into your inner world and understand what could negatively affect your physical condition. You need to learn to relax psychologically, get rid of self-control, old thoughts and restrictions, develop creative thinking and good mood.
Psychology of constipation in adults and adolescents
Psychosomatics of constipation in adolescents and adults is the presence in people of the psychological causes of the development of the disease. These are commonly referred to as:
- Stress. A person who is constantly in psychological stress is more prone to constipation than a balanced person. Bad emotions, anger, fear andothers cause severe tightness of the anal muscles, which leads to difficulty in defecation. Constipation can also arise from the fear of changing something in life, letting go of the past.
- Diseases of the nervous system and mental disorders.
- Features of character. People who are withdrawn and unsociable, do not share their emotions and experiences, may have problems in the form of frequent constipation.
- Frequently changing work schedule, in which a person does not develop the habit of going to the toilet at the same time, restrains the desire to defecate, postpones it to another time. All this causes thickening of the stool, which makes it difficult to defecate.
- Frequent travel and trips in which a person is uncomfortable to defecate in unfamiliar conditions, resulting in the inability to relax and impaired defecation.
Psychosomatics of constipation in children
The phenomenon of psychological constipation occurs in children from the age of two years, when the child independently learns to go to the toilet. This is one of the first functions that involves the presence of awareness in the baby, the formation of self-control and self-regulation. But the child, feeling the need to defecate, specifically endures, which leads to hardening of the stool. This happens in some cases due to the fact that sometimes defecation caused pain and discomfort. The child, remembering such sensations, will endure the next time, refusing to go to the toilet, so as not to experience unpleasant sensations again. Such is the psychosomatics of constipation in a smallbaby.
In other cases, pathology occurs in kindergarten, where there is a new unfamiliar environment. Nervous experiences, stresses that arise in this case, cause difficulty in defecation. Also, in some cases, parents of children, teaching them to the potty, are very demanding and persistent, they force the child to "do it." The behavior of such parents causes psychological constipation.
Constipation symptoms
The frequency of bowel movements in people suffering from this disease can be from once every three days to once a week. In some cases, there are pain in the abdomen, a feeling of fullness, which disappear after defecation. A frequent symptom is bloating, loss of appetite, bad taste in the mouth. At the same time, adults experience a decrease in working capacity, headaches, nervousness, and sleep disturbance.
Treatment of psychological constipation
Now you know what the psychosomatics of constipation is. Treatment is necessary for a long time, including work on oneself, elimination of complexes and experiences, sources of stress. To get rid of the disease, psychologists recommend restoring positive thinking, learning to believe in yourself, to perceive new sensations. A person should be able to tune in to the positive, be in a good mood, pass it on to the people around him. It is also recommended to learn how to relax with the help of trainings and meditation.
By adhering to these rules and tips, you can also use medications for constipation, an integrated approach will help you get rid offrom the problem. Suppositories, preparations, suspensions and enemas are used as medicines. You also need to eat right, lead an active lifestyle, drink plenty of water. The most important rule here is a timely trip to the toilet at the first call, you can not tolerate and postpone this procedure. It is recommended to train the body to defecate at the same time every day.
Treatment of children
Child struggling with psychological constipation. Parents are encouraged to pay attention to their child's complaints in time, such as lack of appetite, pain or bloating. The nutrition of the child must be diversified with vegetables and fruits, sour-milk products. Along with this, parents should talk with their children about their problems, it is necessary to find out the cause of constipation and explain to the child how to deal with them.
You can tell a child that it is unsafe to endure, because you can get sick. But you can't scare kids. You need to be patient and praise the baby even for trying to go to the toilet, albeit unsuccessful. It is also recommended to reduce control over the child, giving him more freedom. It cannot be said that going to the toilet is ugly and disgusting, as children develop a sense of guilt.
Of course, psychological constipation is an unpleasant problem, but it can be eliminated by directing efforts to change habits, diet and regimen.
