 Disclosure of traumas and psychosomatic processesJames W. Pennebaker and Joan R. Susman Social Science & Medicine, 1988, vol. 26, issue 3, 327-332 Abstract: Results from a series of studies are summarized in support of a general theory of inhibition and psychosomatics. According to this view, to inhibit thoughts, feelings, or behaviors is associated with physiological work. In the short term, inhibition results in increased autonomic nervous system activity. Over time, inhibition serves as a cumulative stressor that increases the probability of psychosomatic disease. Actively avoiding thoughts and feelings surrounding a trauma and/or not discussing a trauma is a particularly insidous form of inhibition. The results from recent surveys and experiments indicate: (a) childhood traumatic experiences, particularly those never discussed, are highly correlated with current health problems; (b) recent traumas that are not discussed are linked with increased health problems and ruminations about the traumas; (c) requiring individuals to confront earlier traumas in writing improves health and immune system functioning; (d) actively talking about upsetting experiences is associated with immediate reductions in selected autonomic activity. Implications of these findings for our understanding of disclosure, trauma, and disease are discussed. Date: 1988 Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:26:y:1988:i:3:p:327-332 Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from Access Statistics for this article Social Science & Medicine is currently edited by Ichiro (I.) Kawachi and S.V. (S.V.) Subramanian More articles in Social Science & Medicine from Elsevier |
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