Somatization as a Major Mode of Expression of Psychological Distress in Familial and Interpersonal Relationships Among Iranian Women

Abstract

This is an all-too-common exchange in Iran between a depressed female patient and her psychiati'ist. Within the culture, sharing one's inner thoughts is considered to be a sign of weakness. Psychiatric disorders, in particular, tend to be highly stigmatized. As a result, Iranian women, especially those in low socioeconomic settings, have a tendency to suppress their emotions. Unable to convey their inner feelings in words, women often experience physical and physiological ailments, or somatization, as a means of communicating their suppressed feelings, especially anger. Clinical experience shows that regions with elevated rates of divorce and female suicide, especially by self-burning, also have high rates of somatization. We analyzed the presenting symptoms of 380 adult Iranian women who suffer from depression. We compared the prevalence of physical and psychological symptoms against factors such as education, marital status, and area of residence. We also investigated cultural conventions that might influence the expression of depressive symptoms and explored their traumatogenic effect. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved)