Psychological factors in the etiology of ulcerative colitis: objectlessness and rage

Abstract

In this second investigation of psychological factors in the etiology of ulcerative colitis, the author again utilizes unusual cases characterized by limited variables preceding illness. The first investigation involved several patients whose partial deafness antedated their illness. A significant point was that prior to developing their illness, all these patients had arrived at a state of objectlessness which was abetted by the deafness. This report presents four ulcerative colitis patients with pre-existing organic problems affecting their mental status. Two of the patients are severely mentally retarded. A third patient has rapidly advancing multiple sclerosis, and a fourth--actually an addition to the earlier study--has long-standing partial deafness. Aside from the objectlessness which was also prominent in the earlier group, all four patients demonstrate a consistent pattern of vicious self-directed rage. This paper takes into account the interaction between the rage and the state of objectlessness in the production of illness.