Abstract
We treated a 24-year-old woman with irritable bowel syndrome whose physical symptoms decreased after joining a psychodrama group. Here we describe the treatment process and discuss the therapeutic factors related to this case. The psychodrama group comprised 5 clients exhibiting a psychosomatic disorder or neurosis 2 therapists. A total of 10 psychodrama sessions were held every other week. Our client with irritable bowel syndrome was not aware of and could not express much emotion ; she talked only of her physical symptoms in individual psychotherapy sessions. She had a tendency toward alexithymia. After joining the psychodrama group, she becacme aware of her social adjustment style (that is, she realized that she was not self-assertive, and she adjusted her opinion and behavior to fit the expectations of those around her, putting herself under a lot of stress). Little by little she verbalized her feelings and wishes. She resigned from her job, to which she felt she had adapted herself too much, and her physical symptoms decreased subsequently. We believe the psychodrama factors of "fantasy and playfulness", "concreteness and action", and "being away from oneself" were effective in this case, enabling the client to recognize and express her feelings and wishes.
