Psychophysiologic disorders (PPD) are stress-related, brain-generated pain or illness. The resulting symptoms are completely real. That is why the term we use is a blend of Psychology (the processes of the mind) and Physiology (the processes of the body). It is why we support both in Befriend.
Conditions such as chronic pain (not linked to damage or disease), migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic fatigue, and pelvic pain syndromes are just a few of the dozens of very real conditions we see with PPD.
If danger is perceived by the brain from current stressors, personality traits, scary thoughts/beliefs, unexpressed/suppressed/unsafe emotions, social factors, then nerves are activated to produce a physical/stress response. This is to protect you from further danger. Not your body betraying you or going ‘wrong’.
This physical response could come in the form of muscle tension or contraction, panic/anxiety, inflammation, anxiety, pain and many other symptoms (see mind-body education for more on this). Over time this impacts every system in our body until we come in to help ourselves.
This activation of an acute pain nerve pathway will be remembered indefinitely and can later be re-activated by a variety of triggers (e.g. a certain place, weather, emotion, movement will remind the brain of unsafely and will trigger a threat response leading to symptoms). This is how the brain “learns” to keep us safe and teaches us to seek safety.
Our modules in Befriend for downgrading the alarm - Psychoeducation. How We Heal. Embodied Mindfulness. Somatic Tracking. Compassion and Acceptance. Neuroplasticity. Somatic Experiencing
Fear of pain and attention/over focus on the pain from fear keeps the danger signal turned on and lead to worsening pain resulting in a vicious self-reinforcing cycle of pain-fear-attention-pain. Hence why we teach you skills early on to reassure your system, shift your attention to building health, and re-engage with life bit by bit. We want your attention off the symptom and much more on paying attention to what feels better and what is right with you (not what is wrong), whilst also downgrading the alarm with the practices above
Our modules in Befriend for healing the deeper roots - Befriending Personality Parts, Befriending Emotions and Needs, Somatic Experiencing.
Studies have shown that the danger signal in the brain and these symptom pathways can be activated not only by acute physical injury, but also by memories of past physical or emotional traumas, perceived threats, and even imagined threats (catastrophising anyone?!) and our personality patterns if they are stressful.
Unresolved emotions (fear, anger, shame, grief, guilt) are major factors in producing chronic pain and other stress-related conditions. Often, we suppress painful thoughts and emotions because they are unacceptable to us or others (family, society, religion). Once suppressed in our subconscious, physical pain or other symptoms can develop. A common source of suppressed emotions is Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and adverse community environments.
Particularly for non-pain symptoms and pain in the skull, chest, abdomen and pelvis, recognition and expression of previously suppressed emotions often is a key to improvement. In the Q and A we spoke about the importance of being able to feel these feelings safely and honour our needs in order to heal, and that this can take time for some people. We work through this gently class by class. We also need to care for our physical body with good nutrition, movement, play, and pleasure - we encourage this too in our classes.
The Way Out Is In
Recovering from chronic conditions often leads to more happiness than the patient ever experienced before because they will be undoing harmful thoughts, they are in touch with emotions and needs, and they build new behaviours that support these and lean into the small pleasures in life, which are the big ones we come to realise over time. The patient will no longer be a ship without a sail being tossed and turned by life’s inevitable stressors. They can learn to be at the helm; they can find their sail. Life does not get easy. We get more adept at meeting it in the moment and riding the wave with choice and agency.
The good news is that after years of clinical research, we can help people heal PPD with:
