Psykiske aspekter ved kronisk leddegigt

Abstract

The paper gives a historical outline of the psychological theories of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the classical era of psychosomatic medicine, RA was considered a psychosomatic disease, in its narrow definition. Thus, research was concentrated on the possible psychological causes of the so-called »arthritis-personality«. Today these theories of specifity are relinquished
to a integrativ approach. RA is understood as a multi-factorial conditioned disease, where bio-physiological, psychoneuroimmunological, and psychodynamic mechanisms are significant. On the basis of this historical account, the psychosocial aspects of RA are discussed, such as social isolation, anxiety and depressive symptoms, marital problems,
and inadequate coping with aggression. Finally, some considerations concerning psychotherapy in connection to chronic, non-malignant pain syndromes are provided. The advantages of group therapy are emphasized in preference to individual therapy with regard to somatic patients.