[Abdominal pain syndrome as the chief symptom of an anxiety and depressive disorder. Successful treatment with inpatient psychotherapy].
OBJECTIVE
Though frequently misinterpreted, gastrointestinal complaints are among the most common psychosomatic syndromes.


METHODS
The following report describes the case-history of a 60-year old woman, hospitalized for recurrent abdominal pain and diarrhoea. During the course of parallel internal and psychosomatic examinations an organic cause could be excluded and the psychogenesis of the complaints identified.


RESULTS
Once the diagnosis of a somatoform disorder had been established the symptoms were successfully treated within the framework of in-patient psychotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Anxiety and depressive disorder are often masked as abdominal pain. If detected, they can be successfully treated using a psychotherapeutic approach. Thus this article also points to the great importance of the availability of a psychosomatic consultation-liaison-service within general hospitals.
Klinik für Psychosomatik und Psychotherapeutische Medizin, Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, Mannheim. heger@as200.zi-mannheim.de
S
S
Heger
D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000523:psychology*; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D011613:Psychotherapy; D013001:Somatoform Disorders / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome