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 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.85 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 24 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 24-27 

 

COMMENTARY 

Psychosomatic Disorder in Women with 

Exposure to Violence or Stress 
 

Abigail Alejandro1,2 Grecia Benavidez1,2 Ailee Cruz11,3 Juan Garcia1,4 Mia Garza1,4 Victoria 

Garza1,4 Catherin Guerra1,4 Christin Hernandez1,3 Fatima Montes1,4 Jocelyn Olvera1,3 Lanika 

Reyna1,4 Graciela Vela1,4 

 
1 3rdAnnual Junior Clinical Research Internship, South Texas Academy for Education & Training in Research, DHR Health  

   Institute for Research and Development 
2 Los Fresnos High School 
3 Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District 
4 La Grulla High School 

 

Received: June 29, 2023 

Accepted for publication: August 25, 2023 

Published: November 15, 2023

Introduction 

Have you ever had a weird symptom and 

immediately jumped to conclusions about a severe 

illness you might have? Maybe you had a bug bite near 

your armpit and thought it was cancer. Or perhaps, 

during the pandemic, swore you had symptoms of 

COVID-19 if there was an encountered or exposure to 

someone that had contracted the virus. These constant, 

abnormal, thoughts are one of the many factors of a 

mental illness defined as psychosomatic disorder. 

Psychosomatic disorder is one of the most difficult 

disorders to diagnose in patients because it is often 

associated without any medical explanation. It is most 

common in women who have gone through trauma, 

stress, abuse, or violence.1  

Psychosomatic disorder is a psychological 

state characterized by the manifestation of physical 

symptoms in a person that is difficult to be medically 

explained and diagnosed.2 A person with 

psychosomatic disorder may overthink and cause 

these anomalies to become far worse than they are. 

People may dwell on the symptoms of an illness and 

eventually make themselves feel or become sick. 

Although anyone may experience psychosomatic 

disorder at any point in their lives, it is more probable 

in women who have undergone a violent act, 

addiction, neglect, loss, abuse, or any traumatic event 

such as COVID-19.3  

 

Definition 

What exactly is psychosomatic disorder? The 

word psycho is associated with mental disorders and 

somatic is related to conditions of the body.2 

Therefore, psychosomatic disorder, in scientific 

definition, is a condition where the patient believes 

they are suffering from a medical condition; however, 

there is no clear medical cause.2 Consequently, 

patients gain plenty of anxiety and paranoia stuck on 

the thought that there could be an underlying medical 

issue they are experiencing. This can lead to many 

emotions such as frustration and fear.  Eventually, 

physical and mental factors take a strenuous toll on 

women with the disorder, and it manifests through 

many symptoms. Fatigue, insomnia, aches/pains 

throughout the body, hypertension, trouble breathing, 

ulcers, indigestion, and headaches are some of the 

deteriorating symptoms accompanied by the disorder.2 

These physical symptoms add to the distress, feeding 

into the belief that something is wrong with them. 

In regards to its history, it was originally 

waved as hysteria. Therefore, the discovery and 

diagnosis of psychosomatic disorder was delayed. 

Even now, women are portrayed as “dramatic” and 

“fragile”.3 Currently, scientists and doctors still have 

not come up with a conclusion as to why it occurs. 

People struggle physically due to stress, hormones, 

and chemical build-up. Women, especially those who 



Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.85 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 25 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 24-27 

have experienced violence or abuse, are significantly 

more prone to being diagnosed with psychosomatic 

disorder.3 

Symptoms 

Psychological Symptoms 

Women who have a history of previous 

mental or physical abuse are more susceptible to 

experiencing terminal effects on their health.4 Over a 

period of three years, women who were older, black, 

and/or divorced appeared to become more vulnerable 

than others in experiencing psychosomatic disorder 

symptoms.4 Some examples of the mental symptoms 

the disorder causes are hallucinations, paranoia, 

anxiety, depression, and suicidal tendencies.4 In the 

years 1968 through 1980, adults 30 to 80 years old 

were given a self-administered questionnaire asking 

about their prevalence of psychosomatic symptoms.4 

Many of the symptoms were physical, but the majority 

were stress-related mental health issues. Patients also 

indicated a sense of frustration by the lack of proper 

diagnosing procedures.4 Many women are not 

believed or heard when they speak out on the existing 

symptoms they have been experiencing, so they 

become ill and depressed. The experience they had 

with health professionals along with the pre-existing 

anxiety and paranoia can lead a patient to suicidal and 

life-threatening situations.  

Physical Symptoms  

As mentioned earlier, there are many 

symptoms that come with psychosomatic disorder, 

most of which are psychological. However, some 

physical symptoms can cause discomfort to a patient. 

Female patients with psychosomatic disorders tend to 

experience very high levels of stress. Thus, they 

undergo physical effects such as abdominal symptoms 

(constipation, diarrhea, or other abdominal pain), 

headache/migraine, hypertension, fatigue, insomnia, 

and musculoskeletal symptoms; all of which 

deteriorate a patient's health status.4 Many of these 

physical effects can progress into more serious 

underlying disorders such as personality disorders.2 

Mental disorders can greatly impact physical health 

and can contribute to the progression of 

psychosomatic disorders and deterioration of overall 

health. 

 

 

Mental Health Effects on Women 

Women are more predisposed to developing 

stress-related disorders such as anxiety and 

depression. Findings from the 2020 Health Survey of 

Catalonia demonstrate that the percentage of women 

with psychosomatic disorders was 24.2% higher than 

men.5 Further studies determined that the increase in 

prevalence in women may be correlated to higher rates 

of women who experience physical, emotional, and/or 

sexual abuse, hindering their mental health. The 

violence against women results in the vulnerability of 

women’s mental and physical health leading to 

possible trauma-related psychosomatic symptoms.6 

Women who have experienced physical and sexual 

abuse may develop PTSD, depression, anxiety, and 

other linked disorders. With the torment on their 

mental state, women begin to face psychosocial effects 

that contribute to somatic symptoms.  

The mental health of women is determined by 

the expression of psychosomatic symptoms based on 

self-questionnaires that ask for a specific set of 

symptoms. However, correlating symptoms such as 

anxiety, depression, and mood swings to somatic 

symptoms can result in the manipulation of a woman’s 

understanding of her own health. When reliving 

psychological trauma, women show an increase in 

psychosomatic symptoms such as lack of sleep, 

depressive periods, anxiety and trauma-related 

anxiety.2 The repression of thoughts and emotions 

actually increases somatic symptoms and the 

deterioration of physical health. Moreover, women 

can also experience fear when revealing the traumatic 

events due to women being stigmatized as “dramatic” 

or too “sensitive”.7 Therefore, women with 

psychosomatic disorders tend to be overlooked, 

causing symptoms to progress without treatment. Such 

frustrations develop further stress on the psychological 

aspect of the psychosomatic disorder, creating a cycle 

of worsening symptoms.8  

Causes and Prevention 

Causes  

Although there are no particular causes of the 

disorder, several factors can contribute to it.4 For 

example, substance abuse, violence, anxiety, and 

depression can all be factors that eventually trigger 

psychosomatic disorders.4 Women who have high 

stress levels and are constantly in a state of panic are 

more susceptible to the disorder. Additionally, 

smoking and substance abuse are some of the many 

detrimental ways that women try to relieve the stress 



Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
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DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 26 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 24-27 

of psychosomatic disorder.4 This can trigger even 

more symptoms of the disorder. 

Prevention  

If a patient exhibits early indicators of the 

disorder or any of the contributing factors, it is 

important to be self-aware. Having an open mind to 

possibilities and being accepting of an issue can 

prevent a world of problems. Getting regular checkups 

with doctors is a vital part of preventing and treating 

the disorder. Seeking aid such as therapy for previous 

trauma can be an effective way of preventing 

symptoms and even contraction of the disorder.  

Specialists 

 Since patients with psychosomatic disorders 

have so many concerns about their health, it is hard to 

pinpoint just one specialist they consult with. 

Physicians, therapists, and general doctors are some of 

the examples of specialists they visit often. However, 

psychiatrists, specifically liaison psychiatrists, are 

medical doctors who specialize in diagnosing, 

treating, and caring for patients with psychosomatic 

disorders.9 Liaison psychiatry is a sub-specialty that 

specifies the physical and psychological components 

of a patient.9 It takes a lot of hard work and dedication 

to be successful in this profession, so it is clear that 

these doctors are well educated and equipped to treat 

patients with the disorder. Their role in psychosomatic 

illness consists of therapeutic and emergency services 

to suicidal patients as well as the prevention of 

symptoms for patients.10 A multidisciplinary approach 

with a variety of specialists is crucial in the diagnosis 

of psychosomatic disorder in women who have 

experienced trauma, violence, and abuse.3  

 Treatment  

According to a study, the most effective 

treatment for psychosomatic disorder is well-being 

therapy, which is a psychotherapeutic strategy that 

emphasizes self-observation. It helps patients to 

improve their interpersonal relationships and to be 

able to observe the symptoms they present in 

therapy.11 People suffering from psychosomatic 

disorder should be diagnosed by their primary care 

physician first, and then later referred to a psychiatrist 

for treatment. Age, competence, duration of the 

disorder, and the type of personality that the patient 

possesses must be taken into account when 

determining the treatment plan for the patient. The 

psychiatric treatments for a patient with 

psychosomatic illness may include 8 weeks of regular 

electroconvulsive therapy sessions, to help quickly 

reverse symptoms of the disorder.11 Some other 

psychiatric treatments include psychopharmacological 

treatments, such as antidepressants, which are most 

appropriate since they are the most common for this 

type of disorder.11 Treatment options can also include 

hypnosis to stimulate the subject to find her own 

subconscious healing resources. Furthermore, 

pharmacological abreaction, which involves 

interviewing individuals under the influence of a drug 

to elicit repressed emotions or traumatic experiences 

or to discover unconscious thoughts and feelings, can 

help a patient achieve emotional catharsis. Group 

therapy is also an option that helps the patients to 

learn, practice recovery strategies, and build 

interpersonal skills. Additionally, supportive 

psychotherapy administered by a psychiatrist helps to 

restore a person's relationship to social norms and 

regulations, while psychoanalysis works to strengthen 

the patient's relationship to their own subconscious 

mind.12 Each of these are available treatments that can 

assist women in achieving relief from psychosomatic 

disorder.  

Conclusion 

Psychosomatic disorder is harmful to a 

women's mental and physical health. Women who 

have experienced trauma and violence are more prone 

to suffer from this disorder. Patients can be left 

frustrated, with an unanswered question, as to why 

they are experiencing physical symptoms, while 

medical providers have difficulty identifying a 

medical explanation or diagnosis for their symptoms. 

Through physical afflictions varying from fatigue or 

infections to bruises and deleterious mental issues 

such as anxiety or depression, psychosomatic disorder 

is an illness that sends individuals downwards in a 

continuous cycle that they cannot comprehend. It is 

imperative to understand the spectrum of symptoms 

that can be associated with psychosomatic disorder as 

well as the reasons behind its development, including 

abuse and violence. Ultimately, what is a life-altering 

disorder that commonly appears self-inflicted, in 

reality, encompasses detrimental psychological 

obstacles that must be overcome to in order to bring 

resolution to the somatic ailments. 



Special Edition: Junior Clinical Research (2023), Vol. 3 No. S2 
 https://doi.org/10.47488/dhrp.v3iS2.85 

 

 
 

 
DHR Proceedings ǀ http://dhrproceedings.org 27 2023, Vol. 2 No. S2 24-27 

Acknowledgements 

Monica Betancourt-Garcia, MD, Program Director; 

Melissa Eddy, MS, Program Manager  

Funding 

Funded by DHR Health Institute for Research & 

Development; DHR Health; Region One ESC 

GEARUP College Ready, Career Set!; Region One 

ESC GEARUP College Now, Career Connected; 

Region One ESC PATHS; Region One ESC Upward 

Bound Math & Science; Benavides ISD; and Jubilee 

Academy-Brownsville  

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