Page 46 - JCBP-3-4

Journal of Clinical and

Basic Psychosomatics

PERSPECTIVE ARTICLE
From psychosomatics to somatopsychics:

A reflection and a new paradigm for ADHD

Richard Fry*
Dr Fry and Associates, Winchester, Hampshire, United Kingdom

Abstract

“Psychosomatics” may be an outdated concept if it is seen as psychological factors
or states leading to physical manifestations. Rather, it is proposed, “somatopsychics”
may better encompass the bi-directional nature of the inter-relationships between
physical and mental health states. The field has perhaps not paid enough attention
to date to the now well-established links between metabolic and mental states
such as gut health. The author proposes that one example of such a state might be
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and its related phenomena, based
on his professional journey over some 40 years of practice. He now practices as an
“Integrative Psychiatrist.”

Keywords: Psychosomatics; Integrative psychiatry; Attention deficit hyperactivity
disorder; Autism

*Corresponding author:
Richard Fry There is no inherent mystery about psychosomatics. We manifest illness in combination
(drfry@drfry.org.uk) with mental events. However, this does require some thought about the definition of
Citation: Fry R. From illness and the experiences we term mental events. Perhaps it will be better to say our
psychosomatics to somatopsychics: bodies express our emotional states, which is a statement of the obvious. Who has not
A reflection and a new paradigm for
ADHD. J Clin Basic Psychosom. experienced trembling in stressful events or excitement? We dismiss that by saying it is
2025;3(4):40-42. just “sympathetic arousal” and for many years much time was focused on the role of the
doi: 10.36922/JCBP025090015 autonomic nervous system and cortisol in, for example, depression, ultimately with not
Received: February 25, 2025 much success. 1
Revised: April 14, 2025 The quest over the years for single events or causes leading to single conditions or
Accepted: May 6, 2025 illness complexes has waned as we understand more about crosslinking and multiple
factors leading to particular outcomes. Now we do not need to presume A leading to
Published online: June 4, 2025 B: we are able to understand more about the interaction of predisposition (genetics),
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s). precipitating (stressors and epigenetic factors), and perpetuation (social stressors,
This is an Open-Access article environments, toxic loads, etc.). 2
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution My own journey has mirrored that route. I began in General Practice training,
License, permitting distribution,
and reproduction in any medium, moved to Psychiatry, became convinced of the need to move away from simple-minded
provided the original work is drug-based approaches to mental illness, took up individual and then family/systemic
properly cited. modes of thought with alacrity, and then met reality. Reality demands that you make a
Publisher’s Note: AccScience difference to people”s lives and problems consistently and humanely. It also requires that
Publishing remains neutral with you look at evidence but view it critically and from an informed base. Finally, it needs
regard to jurisdictional claims in
published maps and institutional you to understand the statistical and numerical manipulations employed to justify the
affiliations. proposed findings. I do not think that many of us really fully comprehend the statistical

Volume 3 Issue 4 (2025) 40 doi: 10.36922/JCBP025090015