"Psycho"-Diagnoses as self-protection in professional insecurity

Introduction: Speculative etiological assumptions and blame are widespread in the case of medically unexplained symptoms, and particularly in the case of pain. Materials and Methods: In the article, findings are presented that demonstrate a high inter- and intra-individual variance of pain and thus the "subjectivity" of pain experiences. Discussion/Conclusion: The meaning of the treatment context is discussed as well as possible errors and "traps" in the treatment. A critical reflection of one's own diagnostic and therapeutic routines is encouraged. Keywords: ICD-11, chronic pain, nocebo, patient-doctor relationship, placebo, stigmatization