Psychosomatic Medicine—Past, Present, and Future

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Abstract
"Psychosomatic" is not part of the average person's vocabulary, and most educated laymen know the meaning of "psychophysiological" and "somatopsychic." Without having words for the process, everyone senses that mental processes can influence bodily functioning and, certainly, that the sick body can produce a sick mind. Many explanations have been offered for the mechanisms underlying these processes--theories ranging from the irrational and religious to the philosophical and scientific. Scientific interest in these processes has been a relatively recent development, originating perhaps a few decades ago. It is time to take inventory, to review and consider the scientific history of psychosomatic medicine and the current status of the field. It is also fascinating to speculate on the developments and ramifications of psychosomatic medicine in the future.