psychosomatic
psychosomatic — adjective
- psychosomaticpositive
- more psychosomaticcomparative
- most psychosomaticsuperlative
1. used to describe a physical health problem that originates from mental or emotio
used to describe a physical health problem that originates from mental or emotional strain — such as worry, tension, or anxiety — rather than from a physical disease, infection, or injury
The doctor told Sunita that her chest pain was psychosomatic, not a heart problem.
be + psychosomatic, contrast with physical cause
After several months of therapy, Akira's psychosomatic stomach aches finally stopped.
psychosomatic + body part + noun
Hospital records show that intense stress often triggers psychosomatic symptoms like skin rashes.
Children who feel anxious about exams can develop psychosomatic headaches on test days.
The therapist showed Wei that his back pain was psychosomatic and linked to work stress.
- stress-related
less technical, used in everyday speech — e.g. 'stress-related headaches'
- psychological
broader term covering any mental origin, not only stress; can include psychiatric conditions
- functional
medical term for symptoms without detectable physical cause; overlaps with psychosomatic but less specific about the emotional trigger
- organic
describes disease with a clear physical cause, such as infection or tissue damage
文法句型
psychosomatic + noun (illness / symptom / disorder / pain)
be + psychosomatic
用法筆記
Frequently used with nouns naming medical conditions: 'psychosomatic illness', 'psychosomatic disorder', 'psychosomatic symptom'. The physical symptoms are real — the term addresses their cause, not whether the pain is imagined.
常見錯誤
2. relating to the study or understanding of how a person's thoughts, feelings, and
relating to the study or understanding of how a person's thoughts, feelings, and emotional states interact with and influence their physical health and bodily functions
The hospital recently opened a psychosomatic clinic where doctors and counsellors work together.
psychosomatic + clinic, team approach
Her university course covers psychosomatic medicine — the study of how emotions affect the body.
psychosomatic + medicine, definition inserted
Research on psychosomatic effects shows that long-term loneliness can weaken a person's immune system.
A psychosomatic approach to treatment considers both the patient's emotional state and their lab results.
Dr. Okonkwo published a paper on the psychosomatic links between workplace burnout and chronic fatigue.
- mind-body
everyday equivalent; less formal and less precise than 'psychosomatic'
- biopsychosocial
broader technical model covering biological, psychological, and social factors, not just the mind-body link
文法句型
psychosomatic + noun (medicine / approach / clinic / research)
用法筆記
This sense describes a field of study, medical approach, or theoretical framework (e.g. 'psychosomatic medicine', 'psychosomatic clinic'). It does NOT describe an illness itself — distinguish from sense 1, where 'psychosomatic' modifies a disease or symptom.