Disorders of Affect Regulation Alexithymia in Medical and Psychiatric Illness [Paperback]

A stimulating and practical reference offering new perspectives on the role of emotions in mental and physical health.An entirely new perspective on how emotions influence mental and physical health. The authors present recent thinking about the development and regulation of emotions, and argue for a model in which several common but difficult to treat psychiatric and physical illnesses are a consequence of an inability to consciously regulate distressing emotions. Generously illustrated throughout with clinical vignettes and including descriptions of innovative therapeutic approaches, this book offers both a stimulating and practical reference.An entirely new perspective on how emotions influence mental and physical health. The authors present recent thinking about the development and regulation of emotions, and argue for a model in which several common but difficult to treat psychiatric and physical illnesses are a consequence of an inability to consciously regulate distressing emotions. Generously illustrated throughout with clinical vignettes and including descriptions of innovative therapeutic approaches, this book offers both a stimulating and practical reference.This work provides an entirely new perspective on emotional influences on mental and physical health. The authors present current thinking on the development and regulation of emotions and argue that several common but difficult to treat psychiatric illnesses, including drug addictions, eating disorders, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress disorders, are a consequence of an individual's inability to regulate distressing emotions through mental processes. They also advance a model in which dysregulated emotions may alter other bodily systems and thereby contribute to the development of physical illnesses and diseases. The book is generously illustrated throughout with clinical vignettes and provides descriptions of innovative therapeutic approaches. This volume will become a valuable and stimulatilÓg