Psychosomatic disorders:

In this paper I will explore some of the arguments surrounding the concept of the psychosomatic and psychosomatic disorders. As will become clear this is an idea which has a difficult history within psychoanalysis, and even today there appears to be no clear agreement as to whether the concept of the psychosomatic has any place at all within analytic discourse. I will begin the discussion by outlining some of the arguments from outside of the psychoanalytic framework I think it is useful to remember that there is a well established field of psychosomatics in the psychobiological field, which is, if anything, quite antagonistic towards the (perceived) psychoanalytic interpretation of this subject. I will then move on to examine the arguments within the psychoanalytic domain, with a particular focus on the apparent confusion between conversion and psychosomatics. I will end by putting forward the basis of a theory for the psychosomatic which I believe reclaims this area for psychoanalysis.