The recent premature death of Dana Reeve, a nonsmoker, from lung cancer brought a number of physicians to the television screens. Their best diagnosis, beyond incomprehension, was either secondhand smoke or radon exposure. What did not occur to these traditionalists was that this case was the result of a failure of the auto-immune system caused by the mind.

In short, a psychosomatic illness.

Today, millions are suffering from such ailments which can be diagnosed, but defy a clear physiological (somatic) cause. A brief list should include allergies, migraines, shingles, backaches, fibromyalgia, lupus, mononucleosis, arthritis, skin disorders, high blood pressure, eating disorders, ulcers, and, yes, cancers and cardiovascular illnesses. This list can be extended by dozens more health problems.

Traditional medicine seeks to locate a somatic failure in these cases and hopes to cure the patient via medication, changes in lifestyle or surgery as a last resort. Theories about what causes illnesses abound. There are germs, viruses, genes, diets, the environment, chemicals, overworking, and the use or abuse of some or all of these.

It is a well-known fact that we all live with potentially harmful genes, viruses and cancer cells in a state of truce and fall victim to them when we are vulnerable. This moment might be caused by stress, a lack of control, a lack of social support, loss or overwhelming adversity. Sickness does not have one single cause and gains the upper hand when we as individuals are weakened physically or mentally.

This explains why some of us succumb to pandemics, while others do not fall ill.

Our brain regulates the autonomous functions of our body akin to a computer. They include glandular activities, digestion, heartbeat and cell generation among many others. Its actions are not just interwoven, but new research indicates they are dominated by the mind, not the psyche.

The brain stores our experiences and offers them as memories. Our psyche is another personal file cabinet with the upper drawers handy and accessible, by the lower ones (unconscious level) harder to open.

What is not generally recognized is that our body too stores life as we experience it. This process starts very early in life when as infants we lack the capacity to process what happens to us through language or reasoning. Therefore we store major events in our bodies where they rest unless later revisited and defused in later life. This means that significant experiences, traumatic events, un-discharged feelings remain with us unless dealt with and understood.

Therefore a diagnosis which does not include the psychological state of the patient is incomplete.

Psychosomatic symptoms are highly resistant to standard medical procedures. Indeed, medication can be palliative, but a cure will be elusive. A common reaction will be what is called “symptom substitution,” as one symptom is brought under control, another pops up in another part of the body.

What the demoralized patient needs is a broader interpretation of his illness.

One school suggests that genes are the cause of psychosomatic illness. The symptoms we generate find their home in the weakest link of our body. Another school tries to link certain symptoms to specific psychological pressure points.

Hypertension and elevated blood pressure have been linked to stress and conflict. Stress is seen to cause arthritis. Sadness, feelings of loss and hopelessness have been tied to upper respiratory difficulties. Anxiety and fear are tied to muscle spasms.

Some research connects cancer to suppressed negativity and hostility.

A proactive approach to psychosomatic illness rests on the recognition that the body is sending signals of distress. They should get the first hearing from the person in pain. Are there certain feelings which want to crop up with outbreak.

Can the present moment be related to something distressing in the past?

The second line of defense should be erected by an attentive physician who recognizes that the illness as presented defies ordinary diagnosis. A deeper inquiry is called which must incorporate the patient’s point of view. Asking the patient what ails him, not telling him, will turn the physician into a healer.

Yes, Dana Reeve was sick. Her heart was broken. Being superhuman, only good at all times crashed her immune system, and killed her.

Klaus D. Schmidt, Ph.D., is a resident of Brooklin.