ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence that emotionally burdensome secrets may play a role in predisposing an individual to develop somatic symptoms. AIM: To provide an overview of the empirical evidence and theories concerning the relations between secrets and somatic health and to discuss the implications of these associations for health care. METHOD: We searched for peer-reviewed publications in Medline, ScienceDirect, Psycinfo and Web of Science, using as search terms 'secrecy', 'geheimhouding', 'self-concealment', 'disclosure', 'inhibition' and 'health'. RESULTS: Secrets are associated with an increased risk of somatic dysfunctioning, probably because they induce pathophysiological processes. The theories currently available provide adequate backing for further studies of this association. CONCLUSION: Secrets seem to provoke pathophysiological processes that can affect a person's physical wellbeing. This means that health care professionals must realize that the emotional burden of secrets may contribute to a patients somatic symptoms.
