It's a controversial diagnosis where the symptoms are claimed to be caused by mental processes rather then by actual physiological causes. The concept is a "mind over matter" type one, in that one can subconsciously cause physical symptoms to occur. Essentially what it means is that "we can't determine a cause for your illness, so it must be caused by your head". Not to say that it's not real, we understand that it is real for the sufferer.
Literally, "mind-body" illness; any stress
related physical illness, such as hypertension
and some headaches. (Modern Day Psychology Text)
They are illnesses triggered by strong psychological disturbances which alters the normal physiology of your body. It is also called psychosomatic disorders.
psychophysiological illnesses
A psychophysiological disorder is characterized by physical symptoms that are partly induced by emotional factors.
Another name for biofeedback is applied psychophysiology.
Psychophysiological insomnia is excessive worrying about whether or not a person will be able to fall asleep, which creates so much anxiety that the person's bedtime rituals and behavior trigger insomnia.
Health psychology uses behavioral principles to promote health and prevent illness by studying how psychological factors influence physical health, developing interventions to help people adopt healthy behaviors, and promoting overall well-being.
It appears that all diseases have psychological components
The type of research method that focuses on the relationship between physiological processes and behavior is called psychophysiology. This field examines how biological processes in the body, such as brain activity, hormone levels, and nervous system function, influence psychological states and behavior.
Peter Henry Venables has written: 'A manual of psychophysiological methods'
psychophysiological - conditions/ stress responses that have both mind and body components
When a person is lying, they may experience an increase in physiological responses such as increased heart rate, sweating, elevated blood pressure, and body tension. Additionally, they may exhibit nonverbal cues such as avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, or changes in facial expressions.
Physiological mechanisms underlying a trade-off between growth rate and tolerance of feed deprivation in the European sea bass
psychosomatic illnesses