A Case Study In "Bi-order Therapy" Of An Elderly Patient With Somatoform Disorders

Somatoform disorders is a kind of neurosis which the patients take body discomfort as their chief complaint.It has two remarkable characteristics,one is that no corresponding physical damage or specific pathophysiological mechanisms is tested out by various medical examinations.The other is frequent requirement for medical treatment because of suspicion of suffering healthy problems.The causes are complex,including physiological and non-physiological,external and internal factors.In general,when individual emotions such as fear,loss,concerns,desire cannot be expressed in appropriate means or get enough attention for a variety of reasons,the disease is likely to be caused.Although it is not a serious disease,the negative influences somatoform disorders exerts on patients' health and life is enormous.In the traditional medical environment,the diagnosis and therapy of somatoform disorder are in discrete state;that is to say,most patients get no clinical therapy after a definite diagnosis,and some even get no diagnosis.With the improving of the whole medical level in modern society and the deepening of the concepts of humanism and prevention and health care,wide attention has been attached to this disease.The world is witnessing the boom of the studies and practices on preventing and curing somatoform disorders.At present,there are many academic opinions about the treatment and intervention of somatoform disorders in China and abroad.However,the author found that there is a strong correlation between the somatic symptoms and psychological symptoms in patients with somatoform disorders.Therefore,the treatment of somatoform disorders should start with two aspects: physical and psychological.From the medical social work service perspective,the study has conducted in-depth investigation and has a deep understanding of the work and life of patients with somatoform disorder experience,their family background,main symptoms,medical careand personal demands.On this basis,the “bi-order therapy” is formed,in which spiritual treatment takes a leading role while physical treatment plays a secondary role.Physical therapy is mainly conducted through social services,guiding the patients to eliminate hypochondria and form a positive treatment condition;while in the aspect of psychological treatment,mainly by means of dialogue,activities,recollection of the past,the patients are helped to live an orderly life,reconstruct their “family bridge” and social circle,form a cognitive reconstruction and stable psychological support,so as to achieve the fundamental purpose of improving their psychological state.In the research practice,the whole process of the treatment and rehabilitation of the patients with somatoform disorders is improved through the deep intervention of the patients with somatoform disorders.Due to the measures of integrating of body and mind,hospital and community(family),medical treatment and rehabilitation,the treatment process is optimized.At the same time,the study has verified and developed the theory of the treatment and rehabilitation of somatoform disorders,and has introduced the social work of medical cases into a new field of practice.