More and more people are passing through doctors’ offices, mental health professionals, and different specialists — and ending up meeting a wall called “Somatoform Disorder.” The term ‘Somatoform’ replaced the older description ‘Psychosomatic disorder,’ and was first officially recognized in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980.

‘Somatoform’ is a definition that does not give people answers to what is really happening to them, so they don’t get guidance toward the right action plan that could get them out of it. It’s a kind of washed-up word, adopted by medical communities, and often used instead of simply saying, “Well, we have no idea what’s going on.”

There is nothing more frustrating than the confusion of knowing something is wrong — but not being able to tell what it is, or even where to start in order to improve the situation. Even in leading private institutions, the information given is: “Somatoform disorders are manifested by physical complaints for which no physical cause can be found.” But is it, really? Are they even looking in the right directions before making such a bold statement?

And the narrative continues — “The term ‘Somatoform’ means symptoms that take shape (soma) at the body level. However, the cause of the symptoms is not found in the body.”

There are answers — and they aren’t illogical, surprising, or complicated: toxins, viral load, and adrenaline.

There are tests that can detect the accumulation of toxins in our bodies, but these tests aren’t offered as part of the public health system. The viral aspect started gaining traction recently, after the explosion of ‘Long Covid’ cases since the pandemic. Even more advanced neurotransmitter testing or gut analysis is mostly done privately. No one should settle for answers that aren’t answers — and that’s where personal responsibility comes into play.

There’s also the risk of being led to invest resources (time, money, and energy) into ineffective directions. For example, talk therapy can be a burden for someone with an already weakened nervous system. And although it can be helpful in some situations, psychotherapy cannot offer a direct solution for such cases. Compassion, support, and understanding are all wonderful things — but the root causes must be understood and properly addressed.

Yes, of course emotional traumas and life stressors influence our physicality. But the way out of such situations is by working with a rich, liver-friendly diet and supplements that help strengthen and detoxify the body. Rest and optimized energy management cannot be underestimated — along with learning methods for internal regulation to keep a calm and balanced nervous system.

If psychotherapy is taking place, it must be done responsibly. Repeating and focusing on emotional hurts from the past can weaken the adrenals. Working on problem solving — as well as establishing regulation in the body and a sense of safety — can be more relevant.

Do our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors matter? Yes, to a great extent. But in most cases, it doesn’t start there. Exposure to toxins influences who we are and changes how we perceive and engage with the world. And while not impossible, it’s much harder to change that without addressing the central underlying issues: strengthening the liver, improving adrenal function, and getting rid of toxicity.

If someone hears a diagnosis of ‘Somatoform disorder,’ what they’ll find online is something along the lines of: “Somatoform disorders are a set of psychological conditions where a person experiences bodily symptoms that cannot be accounted for by a medical or neurological diagnosis.” It’s not only disempowering — it’s false information.

This kind of misinformation can even lead to doubts and disbelief among the support system of the diagnosed individual, fueling ongoing conflicts that make recovery slower and more difficult. It’s not uncommon for families to be torn apart by such misunderstandings — yet all of that could be avoided if the correct root causes were brought to the center of attention, and all traces of the psychiatric theory were taken off the table.

When someone is concerned about their symptoms — it ain’t preoccupation, it ain’t exaggeration, and it’s definitely not the problem. It is crucial to listen to the signs coming from our bodies. The body is programmed to alert us when something is wrong. Labeling someone with a mental health disorder for listening to their body is not just a mindfuck — it’s medical malpractice.

It goes even further: those who are brave enough to search for the right answers and actively invest in their healing are again labeled with mental issues.

This has to change. And it will only change when no one allows any grounds for this misleading theory.