EPA-0428 – Self Boundaries Breakdown: Psychological Assessment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome Case

Abstract

The evidence of fibromyalgia syndrome are: absence of biological damage and resistance to drug treatment.

Studies have shown that personality features of patients with fibromyalgia are markedly different from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other syndromic conditions united by a change in the perception of pain, and from normal control group.

The clinical features is embodied in the difficulty of recognizing and regulating their emotions, rigidity and perfectionism, high expectations, overestimation of their actual skills that becomes a source of frustration and insecurity.

Is reported a clinical case of a 39 years old female patient, diagnosed with severe fibromyalgia syndrome with onset of symptoms in response to highly stressful event. Psycho-diagnostic assessments was performed through: WAIS-R, Projectives Test (Draw a Person Test, Tree Test, Family Drawing Test, Fay Test), Rorschach and MMPI-2. The psycho-diagnostic evaluation showed a precarious and unstable structure, as supported by an unstable, poorly defined, rigid and not permeable, and especially affected Self boundaries.

The defective function of border and filter between soma and psyche, about what is inside and out, prohibits’ access to quality and intensity of emotional life which can only find expression in the body.

The report case, in an exemplary manner, explains the mind-body disconnection, and requires further studies as fibromyalgia syndrome is probably the major psychosomatic illness.