Psychosomatics Today

A Psychoanalytic Perspective

Psychosomatics have classically been of peripheral importance within our wellknown theoretical models, despite the fact that they do have a history in the field of psychoanalysis. This might be owing to the fact that Freud did not explicitly approach psychosomatics and, in consequence, did not put forward any hypotheses within his theoretical body. However, the Freudian concepts of actual neuroses and mixed neuroses are a basis in order to understand psychosomatic phenomena. The same could be said about the connections established with subsequent Freudian theoretical models, such as: the introduction of narcissism, unresolved mourning processes, early trauma and the action of Thanatos.