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Acta Vulnologica 2008 September;6(3):163-9

Copyright © 2008 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: Italian

Psychological support in the treatment of chronic skin lesions

Boggio Marzet M. ¹, Somà K. ², Furlini S. ³

¹ Psicologa ASL TO4, Torino, Italia 2 Infermiera Servizio Cure Domiciliari ASL TO4, Volpiano, Torino, Italia 3 Medico di Medicina Generale ASL TO4, Volpiano, Torino, Italia

Skin wound cause a distorted body image and a self esteem producing a perception of damaged body as a container of positive content. Often psychological intervention is determinant for a positive resolution. Skin is the largest human body organ, it provides us with protection and sensation. Skin is influenced by external environment and by all kind of emotions. History, religion and popular beliefs often affected the unconscious attitude of people suffering from skin wound. Psychological suffering, becoming a threat of disintegration, cam show over ego’s physical borders through skin wound. We can face unconscious dynamics subtending the auto-maintenance of skin wound and resolving some consequent relational discomforts through a psychotherapy. Psychologists became part of “The Home Care Team” in order to facilitate the communication between patients, family and operators, and the expression of emotions and of body relation. Patient’s availability to self medication allows them to operate on the wound in a sadistic and masochistic way with the secondary aim of binding the partner and /or the operator in a distorted relationship, through a kind of sense of guilty. Patient could not tolerate a recovery because the threat of losing all attention and care facing relational troubles. Psychologist are called only for particular situation and their contribution within the treatment of skin team is a first step for a multidisciplinary co-operation.