Psychosomatic Medicine and Contemporary Psychoanalysis (STRESS AND HEALTH SERIES)

Madison, Connecticut: International Universities Press, Inc., 1987. Second Printing 1989 . Hard Back. Very Good/Very Good. 6 1/2" X 9 1/4. 391 Pages Indexed. This text presents a comprehensive and detailed compilation of the latest thinking on psychosomatic medicine, a subject that spreads across many disciplines. Represented here are psychody-namic psychiatry, behavioral psychiatry and psychology, and psychophysiology. Each author presents an indepth contribution in his or her own field of expertise. All of the work is original; none has been presented elsewhere in another form. The opening section is devoted to theoretical considerations and contains chapters on the relation of medicine and psychoso-matic medicine, behavioral models, psychoanalytic models, and alexithymia. Advances in psychophysiology are the subject of the next section, covering the physiology of stress, immunologic and endocrine regulation, genetics and adaptation. A group of chapters on psychosomatic conditions include studies on gastro-intestinal distress, allergy, asthma, connective tissue disease, appetite regulation, and the endocrine and cardiovascular systems. The final section deals with clinical practice, with the transition from medical to psychosomatic treatment with treatment of psychosomatic conditions with dynamic psychotherapy, biofeed- back, and relaxation techniques, and with inpatient hospital treatment. This up-to-date, original text is essential reading for physicians and medical students.