[Some dimensions of the forgotten body in psychoanalysis and psychosomatic medicine]

Bodily Experience is well reflected in psychoanalysis and psychosomatic medicine, the body is not forgotten. The first part of the paper summarizes the general and clinical knowledge on bodily experience. The second part deals with some still neglected dimensions of bodily experience. The first two dimensions are clinical perspectives. 1. The (ill) body can be functionalized as a help to stabilize fragile body boundaries. 2. The body is determined not only by intrapsychic conflicts but also by social influences, so that bodily behavior might not necessarily reflect intrapsychic attitudes but social (hyper-)adaptation. The following two dimensions may be important for psychosomatic research. 3. Causal and unidirectional models of body-soul influences lack complexity and should be replaced by differentiated interactional models. 4. Empirical studies on body experience have to take into account its subjective and unconscious character. Qualitative methods might be very helpful here.