Which defense mechanism is most suspected of causing psychosomatic illness?

Repression is often associated with the development of psychosomatic illnesses because it involves unconsciously blocking out thoughts, feelings, or memories that are too distressing to handle. In this mechanism, individuals may diminish their awareness of underlying emotional or psychological conflicts, which can manifest as physical symptoms. This connection occurs as the mind struggles to cope with unresolved emotional issues, leading to physical manifestations of these internal conflicts.

In psychosomatic illness, the body may respond to this emotional repression with actual physical symptoms, even though there may not be a direct medical cause. For instance, emotional pain related to stress or trauma might present itself as chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, or other bodily symptoms since the individual is unable to acknowledge or express those feelings verbally. This makes repression a pivotal psychological mechanism in understanding the mind-body connection in psychosomatic disorders.