Stress and Somatic Symptoms, 1st ed. 2018 Biopsychosociospiritual Perspectives

This book focuses on the assessment and treatment of patients with somatic symptoms, based on biopsychosociospiritual model. Specific assessment skills and treatment techniques are required to approach them effectively. A broad spectrum of knowledge about stress is also needed because stress is closely related to the onset and course of disorders with somatic symptoms.

This book consists of four parts.  Part 1 ?Stress? explores stress, vulnerability, and resilience; intermediate mechanisms between stress and illnesses such as psychoendocrinology and psychoimmunology; the measurement of stress; and the relationship between stress and accidents.

Part 2 ?Somatization? deals with the concept, mechanisms, assessment, and treatment of somatization. In addition, somatic symptom and related disorders in DSM-5 is included. However, the approach to chronic pain is separately added to this part because pain is a major concern for patients with these disorders.  

Part 3 ?Specific physical disorders? mainly deals with common and distressing functional physical disorders as well as major physical disorders. Therapeutic approach for individuals at risk of coronary heart disease is also included.

Part 4 ?Religion, spirituality and psychosomatic medicine? emphasizes the importance of a biopsychosociospiritual perspective in an approach for patients with somatic symptoms, especially depressed patients with physical diseases and patients with terminal illnesses because of the growing need for spirituality in such patients.

This book explores stress and a variety of issues relevant to the assessment and treatment of disorders with somatic symptoms in terms of biopsychosociospiritiual perspectives. It will be of interest to researchers and healthcare practitioners dealing with stress, health and mental health.

Part 1. Stress

Stress, vulnerability and resilience

Measurement of stress

Stress and neuroendocrine function

Stress, emotion and immunity

Stress and illness

Stress and accident: interventions for accidental injuries

Cognitive-behavioral approach to stress

Part 2. Somatization

Changing concept of disorders with somatic symptoms in psychiatry

Biological mechanisms of somatization

Psychosociocultural mechanisms of somatization

Interview techniques for somatizing patients

General management of somatization

Approach to somatic symptom and related disorders

Approach to chronic pain

Part 3. Specific physical disorders

Approach to depression in brain diseases: stroke, parkinsonism and dementia

Approach to depression in the medically ill

Approach to anxiety in the medically ill

Cognitive behavioral therapy for individuals at risk of coronary heart disease

Therapeutic approach to cardiovascular diseases

Approach to stress and mental disorders in patients with diabetes

Approach to functional dyspepsia 

Approach to functional bowel disorders

Therapeutic approach for cancer patients

Approach to specific cancers

Part 4. Religion, Spirituality, and Psychosomatic medicine

The role of religion and spirituality in health and illness

Practical application of spirituality in terminally ill patients  

Kyung Bong Koh, M.D., Ph.D. is a professor emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry at Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. He is the author of Stress and Psychosomatic Medicine and has contributed chapters to several textbooks. He is the editor of the book entitled “Somatization and Psychosomatic Symptoms” mainly based on presentations at the 21st World Congress on Psychosomatic Medicine held in Seoul, Korea in 2011. His many published articles concentrate primarily on psychosomatic medicine, psychoneuroimmunology, somatization, and stress. He has developed a number of psychological instruments, including the Stress Response Inventory (SRI). He has received three academic awards for his distinguished research on the relationship between anger and somatization, immunology in anxiety disorders, and neural activity in panic disorder and somatoform disorder from the Korean Neuropsychiatric Association. In addition, he was awarded Hanmi Prize of the Most Honorable Medical Doctor in 2013 for his contribution to the development of psychosomatic medicine in Korea. He played a leading role in founding and also served as president of the Korean Society of Psychosomatic Medicine. He worked as chair of the Scientific Committee of the Society and was the first editor-in-chief of the Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine. In addition, he served as chairperson of the organizing committee of the international academic meetings, such as the 13th Asian College of Psychosomatic Medicine and the 21st World Congress on Psychosomatic Medicine held in Seoul, Korea. He is on the editorial board of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics.​ Now he serves as president-elect of the International College of Psychosomatic Medicine (ICPM).

Provides key research on stress and its role in the mechanisms of disorders with somatic symptoms

Emphasizes the importance of biopsychosociospiritual perspectives in an approach for patients with somatic symptoms

Explores assessment and treatment of disorders with somatic symptoms, as well as integrated care