Family Practice Advance Access originally published online on November 1, 2004
Family Practice 2005 22(1):114-117; doi:10.1093/fampra/cmh618
The narrative approach as an effective single intervention in functional somatic symptoms in a multi-disciplinary referral clinic for primary care frequent attenders
a Department of Family Medicine, Rabin Medical Center, Campus Belinson, Clalit Health Services and Tel-Aviv University, b Department of Family Medicine, Tel-Aviv University and Clalit Health Services and c Department of Psychiatry, Soroka Hospital, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel
Correspondence to Dr Andre Matalon, Department of Family Medicine, Rabin Medical Center, Belinson Campus, Petach Tikwa and Tel-Aviv University, Israel; Email: matalon{at}netvision.net.il
Mental health problems are underdiagnosed in general practice, primarily because they are often somatized and the patient reports only physical symptoms. These somatized symptoms are responsible for a large percentage of the frequent attenders in general practice. Palpitations are among those somatized symptoms. Here we present the theoretical background and the process of assessment and treatment of patients referred to a special counselling clinic for frequent attenders, through the report of a patient with palpitations. It illustrates the use of the narrative approach and the possible mode of action of this specific intervention.
Keywords. Functional somatic symptoms, life review, narrative approach, palpitations, sense of coherence.
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