Functional somatic syndromes, mentalizing impairment and psychotherapy as the way to soothe suffering. A group psychotherapy experience in an outpatient setting

Abstract

Functional somatic symptoms and syndromes are a major health issue. They are common, costly, persistent and may be disabling. From Mentalization Based Treatment perspective, mentalizing impairments are a key factor in these issues. In that sense, many times, emotional suffering is rendered into physical pain, and it is the body that conveys affects and moods while the patients search frantically for an objective diagnosis and a biological cause for their symptoms and complaints. Taking this premise as a starting point, this poster analyses the importance of working on affects, connecting to them, naming them, and thinking about them. Linking symptoms to emotions, to attachment strategies, and interpersonal issues in order to achieve the recovery of mentalization. Considering this as the main goal to release the body from pain and suffering, we specify a proposal of group psychotherapy developed throughout the last eight years in an outpatient setting.

Disclosure of interest

The authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.