Literature on Psychosomatics

Psychosomatics emerged as an independent field in 1818. However, its peak popularity came in the 21st century. Today, there’s a notable surge in interest in psychosomatics and literature on the subject. Along with this, the number of fraudsters offering substandard works or conducting, at best, ineffective, and at worst, dangerous seminars, has also increased. So, what should you read, and which literature will yield positive results? Let’s look at some worthy representatives of psychosomatics.

What Is Psychosomatics

Psychosomatics is the science of the interaction between the soul and the body. The discipline vividly demonstrates the meaning of the phrase “all diseases are from nerves.” It explains the cause-and-effect relationships between specific pathologies and character traits, lifestyle, habits, and thoughts. Psychosomatics also elucidates the metaphysical significance of each body part. By listening to the body’s signals, one can manage their life and conduct psychological correction without a specialist’s help.

Psychosomatics is based on medical and psychological observations of patients’ histories. Specialists began to notice that people with the same diagnosis exhibit similar character traits, behavior patterns, or lifestyles. This helped compile an extensive list of diseases and their psychological causes.

Studying the mechanism of stress helped establish that any shock negatively affects the body:

1. During stress, cortisol and adrenaline are produced (needed for energy generation for defense or flight).
2. Energy begins to accumulate in the muscles.
3. The longer psychological tension persists, the stronger the muscle tension, and the more the hormonal balance, metabolism, and circulation are disrupted.
4. The longer the hormonal imbalance persists, the weaker the overall immunity.
5. This becomes the cause of numerous diseases.

Disease has three meanings:

• Hidden benefit (right to rest or a way to get what is desired);
• An opportunity to escape reality;
• Life lesson (the body shows the person the costs of their behavior and lifestyle).

Nowadays, psychosomatics is especially in demand. People have realized that the elixir of health and youth has long been invented, but it’s not about a magic pill, but about harmony with oneself, living in tune with oneself and others. Without this, there will be diseases, and medicines will only have a temporary effect.

Important! Identifying and eliminating the psychosomatic cause helps to get rid of physical diseases once and for all. Psychotherapy is used to restore mental balance and regain good physical shape.

What to Read

When choosing a book on psychosomatics, focus on a specific topic. For example, if you’re interested in child psychosomatics, choose literature accordingly. Or you might be struggling with why medications don’t help, or you want to learn a universal scheme for finding psychological causes. Maybe you want to learn how to compose universal affirmations for all life situations, or you might want to delve into the history of psychosomatics, learn about its directions, types of diseases, and more. Also, determine your purpose for studying psychosomatics: for prevention or treatment purposes.

Important! The main thing when reading a book is that you understand it, and the reading process is captivating and interesting. If some literature does not resonate with your soul, even if it is considered one of the best, set it aside and find your encyclopedia from the world of psychosomatics.

For Beginners

We have prepared a selection of books suitable for both beginners in psychosomatics and experienced readers. The selection includes world-famous works and less popular ones. However, this does not mean they are less interesting or useful.

Dmitry Leushkin “Turbo-Groundhog”

The author, as they say, “cuts the hard truth,” not shy in expressions (in other times, this work would have been subjected to strict censorship, or even banned). Therefore, the work will suit young and juvenile readers. Most elderly people will find the style of this book rough.

The book helps find the way to the subconscious. The Inner Self, in turn, will tell about the causes of the disease and point the way to a happy and healthy life. By mastering the techniques presented, you can gain freedom forever, learn to live according to your desires, set goals, and achieve them. The author teaches how to set tasks in such a way that the subconscious and the body themselves begin to work so that the goal becomes a reality.

The work is aimed at reprogramming the subconscious. With the help of the book, you will find and eliminate all childhood settings that hinder happiness and success in the present. For reprogramming, you need to memorize and repeat certain words and phrases. They, like keys, open and reboot consciousness.

Some compare this technique to a cult (there’s even such a question at the end of the book in the “Frequently Asked Questions” section). There are those who oppose this book. And there are reasons for that:

• The author describes his personal experience, which falls under the category of everyday psychology. Unlike methods of scientific psychology, everyday practices do not suit all people. They help some, harm others.
• In the introduction, the author disclaims any responsibility for the results of working with his program. He writes explicitly: “Neither the author nor the rights holders nor the distributors of this book bear absolutely no responsibility before anyone for any consequences, direct or indirect, that may result from reading this book and/or using any of the techniques and information contained therein.”
• Leushkin is not a professional psychologist or doctor.

It is also concerning that the book has several contraindications. Who should not work with it:

• children under 18;
• people with hypertension, epilepsy, brain tumors;
• those taking psychotropic substances and tranquilizers;
• mentally ill patients;
• women during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

The author emphasizes that the reader undertakes the practice at their own risk. At the beginning of the book, it is stipulated that if you continue reading, you automatically waive any claims against the author. Only you are responsible for the results of reading the book or the lack of results.

Important! The book only presents the basic level of the program, and then the author offers to go to his website and pay to get new activation words. Be cautious! There are many books by certified psychologists that do not require additional investment. Some call “Turbo-Groundhog” pseudo-psychology, while others practically a panacea. In any case, we recommend approaching the study of this material cautiously.

Alexander Lowen “Depression and the Body”

Alexander Lowen – a psychotherapist and bioenergetic. The book is written in a lively, simple, and understandable language. The author compares the body to a musical instrument and the person – to a musician. To live long and happily, to be healthy, you need to hear and listen to your body, tune its strings. The techniques from the book teach this. The work presents exercises that help restore physical shape and mental balance.

The book contains many life examples and almost no complex psychological terms. The author manages to explain complex things in simple words. Thanks to this book, you can independently come out of depression, cure physical ailments, and prevent psychosomatic diseases.

Lise Bourbeau “Listen to Your Body”

Lise Bourbeau is one of the most famous representatives of psychosomatics. She is convinced that diseases arise due to an internal conflict of personality. To heal, it is necessary to restore harmony within oneself. Thanks to the book, you can find the causes of disharmony and devise a psychotherapy plan.

Lise Bourbeau does not have a medical education, so reading the book should definitely be combined with a medical examination and corresponding medical treatment if necessary.

From a psychological point of view, the book is very helpful. At the end of the work, there are questions that help in self-analysis. Honest answers to them will help understand the hidden benefit of the disease. If you understand why you got sick, then you understand how to deal with the problem.

Interesting! You can find a complete list of the author’s books and learn about Bourbeau’s philosophy in our article “Healing according to Lise Bourbeau’s theory. Your body says: love yourself.”

Vladimir Levi “Health Mistakes,” “Non-standard Child”

Vladimir Levi is a Soviet psychotherapist. The books are written in simple language, so they are more suitable for beginners and those far from professional psychology. The books tell that diseases result from human errors in life. Special attention is given to parental mistakes – children bear the consequences. The books help change the worldview, perception, and attitude of the person towards themselves. Following the changes in thoughts, there are changes in actions, and then global changes in life. By mastering the author’s simple techniques and exercises, listening to the expert’s advice, you can become a happy and healthy person.

Valery Sinelnikov “Love Your Illness”

Valery Sinelnikov is a certified doctor and psychotherapist. The book “Love Your Illness” gained worldwide fame thanks to the table of psychosomatic diseases presented in the work. You can learn more about it in our article “Table of Psychosomatic Diseases by Sinelnikov.”

The author teaches to perceive disease as a teacher, to be grateful for it. It points out the gaps in a person’s life. If you treat the disease as a hint, acknowledge and accept the problem, then you can quickly restore mental and physical health.

The book is an engaging read. It contains many real stories from Sinelnikov’s practice, diseases and their causes are analyzed using real examples. This is what attracts the reader. Everyone can find themselves in the book, or someone they know. Exercises and training, a special technique for communicating with the subconscious help in self-diagnosis and self-treatment. And a disease reference book with its causes, sorted by sections, further simplifies the work.

Louise Hay “Heal Your Body”

Louise Hay is an author whose acquaintance with psychosomatics began with self-help (the woman cured herself of uterine cancer). Hay is a psychologist and the founder of the self-help movement. The book “Heal Your Body” answers two questions: why a particular disease arose and how to get rid of it. The book does not contain complex psychological or medical terms, everything is written in accessible language.

The main means of fighting diseases is positive thinking and affirmations. In the book, you will find hundreds of positive thought-forms for all life situations and learn how to compose your affirmations. Positive settings work on the principle of self-suggestion, but it is important to remember that a positive result can only be achieved in a complex: changing the lifestyle and working on psychological causes of diseases, pronouncing affirmations, undergoing medical treatment if necessary.

Interesting! You can learn about other books by the author in our article “Louise Hay’s Book ‘Heal Yourself’.”

L. Viilma “Psychological Causes of Diseases”

The book describes the experience of the practicing doctor L. Viilma. Luule is an Estonian doctor, esotericist, and representative of alternative medicine. She gained fame in the field of parapsychology. The author explains diseases from the perspective of a person’s karma.

According to the author’s theory, any disease indicates that negative energy has outweighed and disrupted harmony within a person. The disease provides time to reflect on what the person did wrong. Viilma compiled her alphabetical guide to diseases, their causes, and treatments. The book teaches love and forgiveness. It teaches the reader to live in peace with themselves and others.

For Advanced Readers

Finally, we have prepared annotations for two books for those who are already knowledgeable in psychosomatics or have a psychological education.

Malkina-Pykh “Psychosomatics”

A complex book written in professional language. Malkina-Pykh’s works are part of university programs in psychology, her methods are used by practicing psychologists, and her theory is relied upon by professors and doctors of science. Therefore, the book “Psychosomatics” is suitable for professional psychologists.

The book is suitable for both theoretical and practical study. It presents examples of psychosomatic diseases and their causes, analyzes methods of professional diagnosis (interviews, tests, projective techniques), and psycho-correction. Diseases are considered both in a broad sense, revealing the psychosomatic meaning of diseases of each system of the body, and in a narrow sense: popular diseases are analyzed within each system.

S.A. Kulakov “Fundamentals of Psychosomatics”

The book is written in complex scientific language. It is suitable for students of medical universities and psychological faculties, practicing psychotherapists, and clinical psychologists. The book discusses theories of the emergence of psychosomatic disorders, presents results of scientific research, provides methods for professional diagnosis and practical work with patients. Cases from practice are described, and each disease is considered using real-life examples.