Citation

Caliezi M. Z. Psychosom. Med. Psychoanal. 1980; 26(3): 259-274.

Vernacular Title

Die Hepatitis, eine psychosomatische Krankheit bei suizidaler Verzweiflung? (Depressionsaequivalent).

Copyright

(Copyright © 1980, Vandenhoeck Ruprecht)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7405419

Abstract

With the help of clinical pictures obtained from longer analyses, I am attempting to prove that hepatitis, to whichever subform it belongs, does not represent a purely virological background of the patient. Hepatitis, particularly the more frequent isolated form, in my opinion occurs following a severe threat to the existence, especially in the occupational field, and human isolation as well. Preceeding are generally episodes of doubt and complex attitudes of similar nature in the family and the environment, reaching far back into the past. The time interval between trauma and disease ranges from a few hours to several days. Thus the disease assumes the function of triggering the psychological crisis and replacing it by an acceptable somatic disease, simultaneously allowing the patient time and space to distance himself from the actual crisis, to win back sympathy in his role of a patient and finally to relinguish the responsibility for further actions (regression). In retrospect, as a result of this vegetative self-rescue, the hepatitis is often remembered as the external cause of the crisis. Thus the decrease also seves the shifting of liability. If the reorganisation of life conditions fails after this severe illness, chronic impairment of the liver function seems to ensue. This allows the patient to assume the role of an invalid, to avoid threatening tasks or to motivate medically his failure, and to obtain a special position with the help of complicated therapy requirements like for instance a special diet.

Language: de