DEVELOPMENT AND EMERGENCE OF PSYCHOSOMATIC DISORDERS: INTEGRATION OF PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGICAL AND EPIGENETIC SCIENTIFIC INSIGHTS

Abstract

Contemporary research in the field of psychology highlights the importance of the adverse effects of chronic stress on individual well-being, emphasizing the potential for both acute and chronic diseases to develop and progress. Psychoneuroimmunological studies have shown that the biopsychosocial response triggered by stress can be a cause or a significant factor in the development of psychosomatic disorders. Physiologically, emotional states can affect the functioning of bodily organs through immune defences
and the action of biological substances circulating in the body, which in turn impact physiological balance. The process of developing vulnerability in the organism and physiological processes is also explained through psychoneuroimmunology, highlighting the impact of psychological factors on neurological and endocrinological changes and immune system functioning. Research in psychology shows that psychological factors play a prominent role in the development and outcome of diseases, emphasizing the
dominant influence of emotional states and personal beliefs. Accordingly, the following paper will present an integrative approach combining the scientific fields of psychoneuroimmunology and epigenetics in the development and progression of psychosomatic disorders, aiming to validate the necessity of using an integrative and multidimensional approach to understanding, preventing,
and treating diseases. By highlighting the significance of a holistic consideration of health and disease concepts, this paper will explain the integrative approach to understanding the physical and psychological entities as a unified and interdependent system in understanding individual physical and mental well-being.