Psychoanalytic Psychology, Vol 43(2), Apr 2026, 130-138; doi:10.1037/pap0000583
This article investigates the profound psychological dimensions of endometriosis in young women, a chronic, debilitating condition estimated to affect 185 million individuals globally, yet it remains systemically underrecognized in medical and psychological training. Despite its staggering prevalence, the emotional trauma associated with misdiagnosis and chronic pain is rarely addressed. This study utilizes an innovative interdisciplinary collaborative model between a psychoanalyst and a gynecological surgeon to assess and treat over 350 women with surgically confirmed endometriosis. Our methodology integrates data from pre- and postsurgical consultations, intensive psychotherapy, and traditional psychoanalysis, filtered through a psychoanalytic lens, to map the complex interplay between physical and psychic suffering. Key findings reveal a distinct spectrum of conflicts rooted in the disease experience, including the struggle for epistemic authority (the need to be believed), the corrosive depression-pain cycle, and a characteristic endometrial panic triggered by the disease’s unpredictable nature. We also explore the protective, regressive retreat into a “psychic dead zone,” the effects of surgery on sexuality and body image, and the critical transference and countertransference configurations that emerge in treatment. Ultimately, the article argues that the optimal treatment of endometriosis requires a dual focus on biological excision and deep psychological repair. The collaborative model advanced here—which leverages the psychoanalyst’s skill set to address unconscious guilt, trauma, and the unique meanings patients assign to their symptoms—offers a vital, exportable framework for integrated care, ensuring that recovery encompasses both physical health and psychological well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)