A woman, aged 35-40, came to me and said, “I have a sore throat, and the ENT doctor sent me here to the mental health department. She must think I’m crazy or something, but I’m not taking your medicine and I’m not going back to her either.” I responded, “That’s fine. Let’s talk for a little while, and then I’ll do as you wish, alright?” After I said this, she calmed down.
I then asked her to explain her problem. She told me she had been suffering from a sore throat for over a year, had seen two or three ENT specialists, but the problem hadn’t improved. She described the sensation in her throat as a stabbing, itching, burning, and feeling like something was stuck. She said that whenever she saw an ENT doctor, they would tell her everything was fine with her throat, but she would still be in pain. She had previously taken a lot of medicine for what was diagnosed as a gastric problem, but it didn’t help.
I told her, “This is a problem related to the mind and nervous system, which can also be caused by stress. We call this a somatoform disorder, and it’s a condition that can be cured. You need to take medicine, but at the same time, you shouldn’t overthink it and should try to move on with your life.” I explained that many people with this condition also experience other mental health problems, such as insomnia, anxiety, and obsessive thoughts—some even think they might have throat cancer. After hearing this, she agreed to take the medicine and later recovered.
In conclusion, if you have throat-related problems and an ENT specialist has told you that there’s nothing wrong, it is essential to consult a neuropsychiatrist.
Note: How did you find this article?
If you have any questions about it, please write them below. Your feedback inspires me to write these articles. If you have any mental health or substance abuse issues, you can ask in the reply box below, and I will try to provide advice and suggestions.
