He psychological pregnancy , Also known as pseudociesis, is a psychological disorder that is characterized by a person's belief in being on tape when in fact they are not. AND S an answer that the organism makes regarding an emotional state.
And this response of our body, as its name implies, manifests itself through the symptoms that could contain a totally normal pregnancy.
In this article I will talk about this strange phenomenon, reviewing the symptoms, causes and treatment that can be done to Remedy a psychological pregnancy, continue reading if you are interested!
Characteristics of psychological pregnancy
You probably have doubts about whether this really exists or not,"This only happens to dogs"may have told you many people.... But no! The pregnancy Psychological exists and happens to humans as well.
But beware: during psychological pregnancy, the woman not only presents subtle symptoms, but lives the belief of being expecting a baby from one Completely real form, presenting the physical symptoms that would present if it were really pregnant.
That is to say: the women who suffer pseudociesis are so convinced of being pregnant that they come to present symptoms like absence of menstruation and Increased abdominal volume.
These changes that are experienced, evidently do not respond to an organic cause, since the person who suffers from it is not pregnant, but are Psychological factors that cause these physical changes.
Put another way: the belief of being pregnant makes our brain activate those mechanisms necessary to create the symptoms of the pregnancy.
And is that in cases of psychological pregnancy, the belief of being expecting a baby is so developed that the person who suffers is totally Convinced of being pregnant, and our brain responds by activating the typical symptoms of this period.
Is it a psychosis?
The characteristics of psychological pregnancy could make us think that the belief of being pregnant when it really is not indicates that the woman Have some form of psychosis or delirium.
However, psychological pregnancy is not considered a psychotic disorder but a somatoform disorder.
And what are somatoform disorders?
They are a set of mental disorders Which are characterized by the fact that the patient has physical complaints (pain or changes in his body) Which do not obey any pathology or identifiable organic cause.
These physical complaints often respond to some hidden emotional need, such as anguish, anxiety Or lack of affection, since it is the component Who causes them.
Thus, pseudociesis is a peculiar type of these disorders in which the symptoms of pregnancy are caused by some mental alteration, rather than By physical or organic causes.
Symptoms of psychological pregnancy
As we have already commented, the symptoms that can occur during the psychological pregnancy are practically the same that they appear during a Normal pregnancy
Let's see them:
Menstruation disappears. In some cases it may not disappear altogether, but the flow is drastically reduced, presenting what is Know how Amenorrhea .
The size of the breasts increases through the same hormonal changes that occur in this part of the body during pregnancy, to Prepare the woman for breastfeeding.
In some cases the woman's breasts may even secrete milk.
The pains in the breasts and surroundings are usually habitual, as well as the increase of the mammary aureole.
The cervix softens as if preparing for childbirth.
The size of the abdomen increases as if an embryo were actually contained in the belly.
It increases the weight of the woman, more noticeably than in a normal pregnancy.
Psychological and behavioral symptoms such as lack of sleep, increased appetite, cravings, anxiety or nausea.
These physical and psychological symptoms usually have very negative effects on both the physical and psychological state of the woman.
Differences between psychological and normal pregnancy
The main difference will be quite obvious: in a normal pregnancy there is a zygote in the maternal uterus and psychological pregnancy not.
Thus, a physician can easily differentiate one from another through tests that demonstrate the absence or presence of fetal heartbeat.
However, among the symptoms that can be presented by a woman on tape and a woman suffering from psychological embarrassment are other differences:
- During normal pregnancy a hormone called Chorionic Gonadotropin , Whereas a woman with pseudociesis does not produce this hormone.
- The belly of a woman on tape grows causing the navel hole to disappear (the skin goes out), in a psychological pregnancy This does not happen.
- The weight gain that occurs during a psychological pregnancy is much more exaggerated than that of a normal pregnancy.
How do I know if I have a psychological pregnancy?
It is common for women to have at some point in their life symptoms typical of the pregnancy period when they are not in tape.
In fact, it's possible that you might have once said,"I think I'm pregnant"
These symptoms can be very diverse like thoughts about the pregnancy, cravings, emotional susceptibility, physical sensations of being in tape...
However, the presentation of these symptoms does not have to indicate the presence of a psychological pregnancy.
Sometimes it may be prior symptoms to discover that you are really expecting a baby and at times can be simple worries or desires to be a mother.
So, let's see what these diagnostic points are so that you can clarify in a simple way if those symptoms that you present are part of a Psychological pregnancy or not.
1. First of all you should go to a specialist doctor to perform a pregnancy test, a physical examination and a Ultrasound to discard That these symptoms present are part of a real pregnancy.
2. You must present all or most of the psychological pregnancy symptoms mentioned above. If you present only some of But they do not show absence of menstruation or amenorrhea and you have not increased the abdominal size, it is unlikely that it is a pseudociesis.
3. In psychological pregnancy, low levels of Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), so if you do not present these results it is done Practically impossible to suffer a psychological pregnancy.
4. In the same way, in pseudociesis, the levels of Prolactin Are often high. If you have symptoms regarding psychological pregnancy but you have Normal levels of prolactin, it is unlikely to be a psychological pregnancy.
Psychological reasons
Because of how strange this disorder may seem, you may be wondering what causes psychological pregnancy. Lets go see it:
1. Uncontrollable desire to get pregnant
It is necessary to take into account that the corporal changes present in the pseudociesis, like the majority of somatoform disorders, respond to some necessity or Emotional destabilization.
Thus, a woman with a strong desire to be a mother may not adequately manage the frustration that she can not fulfill her desire and Develop a psychological pregnancy.
2. Depressive states
This factor can be very related to the desire to be a mother or have a hypersensitivity with maternity issues
Thus, witnessing a depressive condition linked to issues of gestation or being a mother can precipitate a psychological pregnancy.
It should be noted that, like most psychological disorders, pseudociesis often precipitate when a person does not have Resources necessary to overcome a personal situation or a psychological state.
In this way, the fact of being very anxious to be pregnant or to present Depressive symptoms Related to maternity, can lead to a Disorder if the person presenting it is outdated by their personal circumstances.
3. Panic to get pregnant
It is typical for teenage girls who start their sex life, have a first-time relationship or have just gotten married.
Pregnancy is a delicate moment for any woman, so certain situations such as those described above can lead to fear Excessive to become pregnant.
If the woman who is involved in these situations is not able to adequately manage the fear caused by the idea of staying on tape, the Over-vigilance that can cause that fear every time you have sex can end up becoming an immovable belief in being Waiting for a baby and triggering a pseudociesis.
4. Problems of couple
Sometimes, when you have Partner issues , The idea may arise that the perfect solution for all difficulties to disappear is to stay pregnant.
When this happens, the pre-determined idea of getting pregnant to improve marital life can develop in a wrong way and become ideas Unadapted to be on tape.
How many people are you?
Psychological pregnancy, despite its apparent popularity, is a disorder very little prevalent in the current population.
They can present women from all parts of the world at any age, although the most common is to present it between 20 and 40 years.
However, although pregnancy symptoms may be common, it is estimated that only 0.005 of the women who have these symptoms Have pseudociesis, so the psychological pregnancy is presented very scarce.
Can men have a psychological pregnancy?
Oddly enough, men may also have pseudociesis.
However, in men usually occurs because of feeling very identified with your partner when you are pregnant.
The need to feel protective, to share with his wife the moment of pregnancy or to try to get involved in the suffering of the woman, are usually the Common causes.
Should the truth be told?
A recurring doubt about this disorder is whether to detect that a woman suffers a psychological pregnancy should be clearly stated that she is not pregnant And that the symptoms are fruits of his imagination.
My advice to this situation would be not to do so, or at least not to deal directly with the person suffering from pseudociesis if their belief is Radically opposed to evidence confirming the absence of pregnancy.
And it is that from the outside it can seem very simple, the woman is told that she is not pregnant, she is taught the evidence that confirms it and ends the problem.
However, psychological pregnancy is a fairly complex disorder and understanding is indispensable.
For the woman who suffers from the fact of being pregnant is not an option, since for her it is a reality, so overcoming this dilemma is Should be done slowly and with the appropriate treatment.
How is it treated?
What usually happens is that a woman who suffers a psychological pregnancy visits the doctor to check her pregnancy and at that moment is notified to Through the tests performed that really is not on tape.
At that moment, the woman's most habitual reaction is to deny the tests that the doctor gives her and to look for another professional to check her pregnancy.
At that time, it is vitally important to understand the problem that the person is suffering, not to adopt a radical position denying him at all times The reality of your pregnancy and convince you to go to a therapist to help you manage your situation.
The therapy performed with a psychotherapist specialized in these problems will be based on the patient gradually learning what happens to her and What is a psychological pregnancy, so that this modifies your belief that you are pregnant.
And what do you know about psychological pregnancy? Your comments will help the readers thank you!