Alexithymic features of the patients with chronic pancreatitis

61 patients suffering from chronic pancreatitis were studied in order to clarify the psychosomatic aspects of this disease. They were classified into 5 types, out of which 3 types were examined in detail according to their personality traits and life habits. It was found that the mind-body relationship took the primary form in the psychosomatic and neurotic types, while in the organic type it took the secondary form such as distorted life habits. This finding indicated that the distortion in the personality structure and that of life habits were closely interrelated. The authors also discussed the clinical features of chronic pancreatitis from the standpoint of alexithymia. The patients with the organic type were most alexithymic, which were followed by the psychosomatic type. It was learned that alexithymic problems were reflected in the patients' life habits.