[Functional colonic disease and psychopathology. Importance of affective experiences]

The responsibility of psychopathological disorders in the genesis of irritable bowel has led to recent interpretations which challenge the classical data concerning this disease. The present study was conducted from a questionnaire-interview in 102 patients suffering from functional colopathy. It shows that these patients presented specific psychopathologic and biographic data. The patients with colopathy were anxious psychasthenics confined by their obsessive and narcisistic nature into a successful productive activity at the expense of pleasure seeking and interpersonal relationships. The emotional deficiencies of childhood found in almost all cases, in addition to separation anguish, undoubtedly led to an alteration of self-image. The pursuit of a successful activity seems to correspond to a perpetual attempt of control of anguish and a rehabilitation of the self-image. The precarious resulting balance often risk to be challenged by stresses or conflicts and force the physician to take complete charge of such a disease, carefully and patiently.