Did you know your body can speak?
Is a bodily response to external situations normal?
Yes, it is. Various physiological processes make us react to negative and positive life events. For example:
??blushing from shame or embarrassment,
??having a racing heart because of fear,
??feeling butterflies in the stomach when anticipating something.
However, bodily responses may also occur due to suppressed emotions and feelings. These are called psychosomatic symptoms and, with time, they can transform into a psychosomatic disorder.
??What are psychosomatic symptoms?
The term ‘psychosomatic’ is formed by two Greek words: ‘psyche’ for ‘spirit’ or ‘mind’ and ‘soma’ for ‘body’. With that said, such symptoms usually lack physical causes but occur because of distress, anxiety, or depression. If a person fixates on these sensations, they can get worse and make daily functions a challenge.
The most common psychosomatic symptoms are:
??rash and skin irritation,
??headaches and dizziness,
??shortness of breath,
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??high blood pressure,
??lower back pain,
??nausea, diarrhea, and/or constipation.
??Is there any explanation for this phenomenon?
A general explanation is that your body expresses difficult emotions when your psyche cannot do so. For example, expressing anger usually raises blood pressure and causes muscle tension. If you suppress your anger and irritability for a long time, those bodily symptoms remain unspoken and become persistent. Similarly, prolonged anxiety can result in digestive issues. Emotional trauma or grief can also feel unbearable and hence make the body take over the feelings to support the psyche.
However, if we refer to physiology, the reason may be the impaired functioning of the body systems. As mentioned, bodily response to stressors is normal. So, if it is constantly restrained, it can disrupt hormone production and the activation of the nervous system.
??Should one seek medical or psychological help?
Only a doctor can say if your symptom has a psychological cause after ruling out physical reasons. In this case, you may be referred to see a psychotherapist.