International Journal of Body, Mind and Culture
Volume:3 Issue: 1, Winter -Spring 2016

 The description of demographic features and associated risk factors provides a perspective for the development of health and prevention policies for psychological screening or referrals. Thus, updated data on epidemiologic profile of depression and anxiety in the society are necessary. This study aims to describe the psychological profile of a general population in central Iran.

 This community-based, cross-sectional survey was performed as part of the SEPAHAN project (Study on the Epidemiology of Psychological Alimentary Health and Nutrition). The participants wereworking in 50 different centers across Isfahan Province, Iran. The data on 4628 adults who had completed demographic questionnaires and psychological questionnaires for depression and anxiety, coping styles, and stressful life events were included in the analysis. The data collection tools were the Demographic information questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), Coping Strategies Scale (Cope), and Stressful Life Event (SLE) questionnaire.

 The frequency and intensity of all considered stressors were found to be significantly associated with both depression and anxiety. Adaptive coping strategies were found to function as protective factors against both depression and anxiety. However, avoidance, as a maladaptive coping strategy, was found to be a risk factor.

 The present survey reveals that the prevalence of depression and anxiety was 28% and 14%, respectively. Scholastic education plays a protective role against both depression and anxiety. All coping strategies, except avoidance, function to protect against depression and anxiety.

 The overlap of functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) has been reported in literature. Hence, this study aimed to examine psychological comorbidity with the number of FGIDs.

 A total of 4763 individuals in 20 cities across Isfahan Province, Iran, were selected through cluster random sampling. The Rome III questionnaire in its complete form was used to investigate gastrointestinal symptoms. The other data collection tools consisted of the Stressful Life Events (SLE) Questionnaire, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). To analyze the data, t-test, chi-square test, and logistic regression analyses were used.

 The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the number of functional gastrointestinal disorders was the risk factor for stress level, anxiety, and depression and increased the odds ratio (OR) of these disturbances.

 Increase in the number of functional gastrointestinal disorders was associated with more psychological comorbidity. Therefore, overlap of functional gastrointestinal disorders functional gastrointestinal disorders to be carefully considered and physicians should pay more attention to psychological factors when FGIDs overlap.

 Psychological problems such as depression and anxiety are very common in patients with chronic headaches and give rise to the repetition and continuity of the headaches. This study aimed to assess the effect of a bioenergy economy program and particularly the biofield attunement on the improvement of the pain control, depression, and anxiety in patients suffering from migraine, a common psychosomatic disorder.

 To collect data, a quasi-experimental method was adopted including pretest, posttest, and follow-up phase. Thirty patients with migraine were selected based on convenience sampling method and put into two experimental and control groups. Data collection tools included Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Headache Impact Test (HIT-6TM). The data were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) and covariance (ANCOVA) tests. Both experimental and control groups participated in the entire program to assess the effect of bioenergy economy program on mentioned variables. To assess the effect of biofield attunement, a non-expert person performed the attunement of participants in the control group while an expert bioenergy healer and channel performed attunement procedures for the participants in the experimental group.

 The mean scores of pain, anxiety, and depression of 30 participants in pretest differed
significantly with those in posttest and follow-up phases; but such a difference was not observed between the scores of posttest and follow-up in control group. Moreover, the participants' mean scores in posttest and follow-up phases differed significantly between the two groups.

 Bioenergy economy program caused a significant decrease in anxiety, depression, and intensity and frequency of pain in patients with migraine. The decrease on mentioned variables were consistent in a two-month interval. These therapeutic effects were even more in experimental group who had received real biofield attunement. As bioenergy economy program and biofield attunement is a nonpharmaceutical and harmless care system, it is recommended as an effective method for the reduction of depression, anxiety, and pain in patients with migraine.

 Functional dyspepsia (FD) is defined as the presence of dyspeptic symptoms in the absence of an organic cause that readily explains them. Life stressors, individuals' perceptions, their coping responses, and social supports are linked and can affect the well-being of individuals. The aim of the current study was to assess the relationship between FD and life stressors, coping strategies, and social support.

 In a cross-sectional study conducted in Isfahan Province, Iran, in 2013, the employees of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, were evaluated. Symptoms of FD were measured using the modified ROME III questionnaire. The Stressful Life Event (SLE) Questionnaire, modified COPE scale, and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS) were used for assessing life stressors, coping strategies, and social support. Logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the crude and adjusted effects of each variable on FD.

 About 55.8% of participants were women and 79.3% were married. In total, 723 (15.2%) participants had FD, 457 (63.2%) of whom were women. The mean scores of perceived intensity and frequencies of all life stressors were significantly higher in patients with FD (P < 0.05). In addition, the mean score of social support in patients with FD was significantly lower (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the frequency of stressors and perceived intensity of stressors were significantly associated with FD (OR = 1.08 and 1.025, respectively). Moreover, the acceptance coping strategy had a significant relationship with FD (OR = 0.85, 95% CI, 0.75-0.95). Among the socio-demographic factors, sex (OR = 1.65, 95% CI, 1.3-2.1) and education (OR = 0.6, 95% CI, 0.5-0.8) demonstrated significant relationships with FD.

 FD was more common in those individuals who had a higher rate of stressors and lower social support.

 Solitary rectal ulcer syndrome (SRUS) is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract and its etiology is not well understood. There is no specific treatment for this syndrome and patients with SRUS may, for years, experience many complications. The aim of the present research was the biopsychosocial study of patients with SRUS.

 The study participants consisted of 16 patients with SRUS (7 men and 9 women). Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively to evaluate the clinical spectrum of the patients along with the endoscopic and histological findings. Moreover, psychiatric and personality disorders [based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th ed, Text Revision (DSM IV-TR)], psychosocial stressors, early life traumas, and coping mechanisms were assessed through structured interviews.

 At presentation, mean age of the patients was 39 years (16 to 70). Common symptoms reported included rectal bleeding (93.8%), rectal self-digitations (81.2%), passage of mucous (75%), anal pain (75%), and straining (75%). Endoscopically, solitary and multiple lesions were present in 9 (60%) and 4 (26.7%) patients, respectively, and 87% of lesions were ulcerative and 13.3% polypoidal. The most common histological findings were superficial ulceration (92.85%) and intercryptic fibromuscular obliteration (87.71%). Common psychosocial findings included anxiety disorders (50%), depression (37.5%), obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) or traits (62.5%), interpersonal problems (43.75%), marital conflicts (43.75%), occupational stress (37.5%), early life traumas, physical abuse (31.25%), sexual abuse (31.25%), dysfunctional coping mechanisms, emotional inhibition (50%), and non-assertiveness (37.5%).

 Given the evidence in this study, we cannot ignore the psychosocial problems of patients with SRUS and biopsychosocial assessment of SRUS is more appropriate than biomedical evaluation alone.

The spinal cord congenital abnormalities may prevent normal cephalad movement of the conus medullaris such as tethered cord. A child or even an adult with these abnormalities may develop progressive neurological dysfunction due to traction on the cord or nerve roots. As the most problematic technical consideration in surgery for the release of the tethered cord is how to preserve functions of neural elements and rebuild the dural sac to maintain normal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) circulation; the priority is to treat the condition through less invasive methods. Bioenergy economy (BEE) is an integrative healing model which tries to abstract healing modalities and integrate them into a psychosomatic health system. In contrast to reductionistic and pathology-based approach of biomedical treatment, bioenergy healing is a salutogenic, holistic and metadiagnostic approach which creates healing responses from a blueprint of healthy body.

Case Report: 

We report the process of a bioenergy economy intervention in a 10-year-old boy with clinical signs of drop foot, urinary incontinence, urinary reflux, and low back pain who was candidate for surgeries by neurosurgical and urological criteria. The clinical results indicated that after about two years of 12 healing sessions in a brief bioenergy economy package of biofield scanning, biofield attunement, and hand-on self-healing, the patient's clinical signs remarkably improved to the extent that he returned to normal activities of his age and followed an athletic lifestyle.

 From a biosemiotic viewpoint, it can be discussed that bioenergy economy, by focusing on enhancing the pathways of salutogenesis was effective to evoke healing response in the patient's body. The effect of the bioenergy economy practice may be due to the healing images and intentions flowed through patient's body and healer-healee biofields' coupling and interactions.