Loss and Grief Reactions (6)
Abdominal pain
Joseph, aged 11, has been complaining of an increasingly intense abdominal pain for several months. His parents have been to the doctor several times with him, but nothing is always found. The same advice is given each time. Go home and let him rest. His parents are seriously concerned, as Joseph is now being so bothered by the fact that he even wakes up occasionally screaming and crying in pain in the nights.
They don't know any more advice, as the doctor can't find anything. His parents wonder strongly if he isn't making up the pains, but why would he? They don't know the cause of abdominal pain. Everything went perfectly fine with Joseph despite his elder brother's passing three years ago. Joseph had a lot of grief for several days due to his brother's death, but went back to school soon after, was cheerful according to the teachers and learned well. Sports and everything was always going on the way Joseph wanted, he didn't want to miss anything. During the first few weeks after the death, Joseph sometimes had a bad feeling in his stomach, but not as severe as it is now. Other than that, no crazy things happened in Joseph's life that could be the cause.
His parents wonder if the death of his older brother could not have anything to do with the abdominal pains. When they think about it, these have increased in severity since last year's death date. Would that be possible? The answer is yes, this is quite possible. There may be psychosomatic complaints and mental manifestations.
But what exactly are psychosomatic complaints and mental manifestations?
When physical complaints cannot be explained or inadequately explained by a physical disorder, but are increasingly worsening due to a psychological problem, we speak of psychosomatic complaints. This is sometimes referred to as somatization. Physically inexplicable complaints without a clearly primary demonstrable physical statement.
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