--- title: "Psychosomatic illness: when emotions show up in the body" description: "What psychosomatic illness really means, why the symptoms are real, how stress affects the body, and how the symbolic approach reads it." canonical_url: "https://www.body-hemisync.com/guides/psychosomatic-illness" --- A psychosomatic illness is one in which the mind and the body act on each other: emotional strain such as stress, fear or grief can trigger a physical symptom, make it worse, or keep it going. The symptoms are real. A stomach that cramps before every difficult meeting is not imagining its cramps, and a back that seizes up in a hard year hurts as much as any other back. This guide has two parts, kept clearly apart. The first is medicine: what doctors mean today, the names they use, and how stress acts on the body. The second is the symbolic approach that runs through this site, which asks what a symptom might be saying about your life. One does not replace the other. ## What does "psychosomatic" mean? The word joins two Greek roots: *psyche*, the mind or soul, and *soma*, the body. In its original sense it describes a two-way traffic. The mind influences the body, and the body influences the mind. Anyone who has felt their heart race before an exam, or felt low for days after a bad flu, has lived both directions. In everyday speech the word has drifted. When someone hears "it's psychosomatic", they often hear "it's imaginary" or "it's all in your head". That is not what the word means. The NHS is explicit that persistent symptoms without a clear physical cause are not faked or "all in the head": they are real, and they can stop a person from functioning. MedlinePlus adds that people should not be told their symptoms are imaginary. Because the old word carries so much stigma, many doctors now avoid it and use more precise terms instead. ## Are psychosomatic symptoms real? Yes. A psychosomatic symptom is felt in the body, it can be measured in what it stops you doing, and it can be every bit as painful or frightening as a symptom with a visible cause. Pain, fatigue, dizziness, palpitations, stomach trouble and headaches are among the most common. What differs is the explanation, not the reality. Sometimes tests show nothing structurally wrong: no broken bone, no ulcer, no infection. That is common. The NHS notes that about 1 in 4 people who see a GP have physical symptoms that cannot be explained, and that this does not mean nothing can be done. ## The medical terms doctors use now ### Medically unexplained symptoms This is the broad, descriptive label for physical symptoms that last for more than a few weeks when doctors cannot find a problem in the body that explains them. It describes the situation; it is not a diagnosis in itself. ### Functional disorders A functional disorder is one where the problem lies in how a part of the body *works*, rather than in damage to its structure. The organ looks normal on tests, yet it does not behave normally. Common examples: - **Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).** Cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation that come and go. The NHS links it with food moving through the gut too fast or too slowly, an oversensitive gut, a previous bout of gastroenteritis, family history, and stress. See our page on [irritable bowel syndrome](/digestive-system/irritable-bowel-syndrome). - **Functional neurological disorder (FND).** A problem with how the brain sends and receives signals to the body. It can cause weakness, tremors, walking difficulties, numbness or seizures that are not epilepsy. MedlinePlus states that FND has no known single cause, that stress or a mental or physical trauma can trigger it but it can also appear with no trigger, and that the symptoms are real and cannot be switched on and off at will. Its older name was conversion disorder. - **Fibromyalgia** and **chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)** are also listed by the NHS among the poorly understood syndromes that can lie behind persistent symptoms. ### Somatic symptom disorder Somatic symptom disorder (SSD) is a mental health diagnosis. It is not about whether a symptom has a cause. It describes a person whose worry about physical symptoms is so intense, and lasts so long (six months or more), that it takes over daily life. MedlinePlus is clear that a person with SSD is not faking: the pain and other symptoms are real and may or may not have a medical cause. The problem is the distress and the cycle of fear around them. Treatment is usually one trusted primary care doctor, plus a talking therapy such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). ## How stress affects the body Stress is the body's response to a demand or a threat. When you feel anxious or under pressure, your body releases stress hormones such as **adrenaline** and **cortisol**. In the short term this is useful: the brain sharpens, the heart speeds up, the muscles tense ready to act. When stress goes on for weeks or months, the body stays on alert even though there is no danger, and that is when it starts to show. - **Muscles.** Muscles tighten under stress. MedlinePlus lists a stiff jaw or neck and frequent aches and pains among the signs of too much stress, and the NHS lists muscle tension or pain. This is the ground of [tension headaches](/head/headaches), a [stiff neck](/back/stiff-neck), [jaw pain](/mouth-and-teeth/jaw-pain) and [teeth grinding](/mouth-and-teeth/teeth-grinding). - **Heart and breathing.** A faster heartbeat, chest tightness and quick breathing are part of the stress response. They can be felt as [palpitations](/heart-and-circulation/palpitations). - **Gut.** Stress and anxiety are recognised triggers for IBS flare-ups, and an upset stomach, diarrhoea or constipation are common signs of stress. - **Sleep.** Stress, anxiety and depression are among the most common causes of [insomnia](/head/insomnia), and poor sleep in turn lowers your tolerance for pain and for stress. - **Skin.** MedlinePlus names skin problems such as acne and [eczema](/skin/eczema) among the conditions chronic stress can be linked to, and stress can make an existing condition worse. It runs the other way too. The NHS describes how physical symptoms can cause depression and anxiety, which then make the physical symptoms worse: a vicious circle. That is psychosomatic in the original, two-way sense. ## The symbolic approach to psychosomatic illness From here on we leave medicine and enter the emotional and spiritual approach that this site is built on. It is a way of reflecting on a symptom, not a way of explaining or treating it. ### Every illness as a message In the metaphysical view, the line between "psychosomatic" and "physical" illness disappears. If every illness has a meaning beyond the physical, then in a sense every illness is psychosomatic. This view also points out the trap in the everyday word: being told your illness is psychosomatic can feel like being told it is imaginary, which is the opposite of the intention. The symbolic approach then holds two things together. You look after your body with everything that health professionals know. And, alongside that, you look for what the illness might be pointing at in your life: a conflict, a shock, a strain you have not yet named. The aim is to decode the message, not to blame yourself for it. Some metaphysical writing goes further and states that every illness begins with an emotional conflict or shock. Medicine does not support that. Genes, infections, injuries, ageing and many other causes are real, and many illnesses have no emotional story at all. We use the symbolic view as a question you may find useful, never as an explanation of why you are ill. ### The closing step: taking care of the body Spiritually, the last step with a psychosomatic illness is not a feeling but a decision: to take care of the physical body and help it back towards health. That is a useful anchor for this whole approach. Reflection and medical care belong together. ## Examples: how common symptoms are read Each of these conditions has a medical explanation, on its own page, and a symbolic interpretation alongside it. The table gives a first idea.
Symptom Often linked with, spiritually Read more
Irritable bowel syndrome Holding on to a situation you need to leave, nervousness about the unknown IBS
Tension headaches Mental overload, self-criticism, a need to control Headaches , migraines
Lower back pain Insecurity, fear of lacking, being the only pillar Lower back pain
Upper back and neck pain Unspoken emotions, carrying everyone Upper back and neck pain
Fibromyalgia Perfectionism past its limit, responsibilities never chosen Fibromyalgia
Palpitations An alarm about love, a choice you cannot make Palpitations
Insomnia A fear of letting go, rest that feels undeserved Insomnia
Eczema Hypersensitivity, a separation that was hard to live through Eczema
Hives Overload, fear of rejection Hives
Stomach ulcer Swallowing what you do not want Stomach ulcer
The feelings behind these interpretations have pages of their own: [stress](/emotions/stress), [anxiety](/emotions/anxiety), [fear](/emotions/fear), [anger](/emotions/anger), [grief](/emotions/grief) and [burnout](/emotions/burnout) among them. For a picture of where each feeling is said to settle, see the [emotions body map](/guides/emotions-body-map). ## Is my illness psychosomatic? You cannot tell this on your own, and neither can a website. A symptom that feels "stress-related" can still have a physical cause that needs treating, and the two often exist together. Only a doctor can examine you, order the right tests and rule out conditions that need care. Please see a GP for any symptom that is new, persistent, worsening or worrying, and tell them honestly about the stress in your life too: it helps them, it does not discredit you. ### Red flags: get medical help quickly Do not put these down to emotions. Seek urgent help or call your emergency number if you have: - Chest pain that does not go away, feels like squeezing or pressure, or spreads to the arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or chest pain with sweating, sickness, light-headedness or breathlessness. - A face that droops on one side, weakness in an arm, or slurred speech. These can be signs of a stroke. - A sudden, extremely painful headache, or a headache with confusion, loss of vision or a high temperature. - Back pain with numbness around the genitals or bottom, weakness in both legs, or a change in bladder or bowel control. - Unexplained weight loss, bleeding from the bottom or blood in vomit, or a lump you have not had checked. - Thoughts of harming yourself. In the UK, call 999 or go to A&E in an emergency, or call Samaritans on 116 123 to talk. ### If tests come back normal Normal results are good news: a serious cause has been looked for and not found. They do not mean you made it up. Ask your doctor what might be going on, whether it could be a functional disorder, and what helps. The NHS describes regular physical activity, better rest, managing stress, and talking therapies such as CBT as useful, and medicine can help some people. If you believe something has been missed, you can ask for a second opinion. ## A gentler way to use this - **Keep both doors open.** Follow your medical care fully, and use the symbolic questions alongside it. - **Notice the timing.** When does the symptom flare? After a phone call, a family visit, a sleepless week? Write it down without judging. - **Name the feeling.** If one fits, read its page. Recognising [stress](/emotions/stress), [anxiety](/emotions/anxiety) or [grief](/emotions/grief) is often the first relief. - **Look after the stress itself.** Talking to someone you trust, moving your body, breathing exercises and enough sleep help both the mind and the body. - **Treat yourself kindly.** A symptom is not a verdict on your character. "What does my body need?" is a better question than "What did I do wrong?" For more on how feelings and pain interact, read [can emotions cause physical pain?](/guides/can-emotions-cause-physical-pain). This guide is for reflection and general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition. If you have a symptom that worries you, please see a doctor. In an emergency, call your local emergency number (999 in the UK). ## Sitemap See the full [sitemap](/sitemap.md) for all pages.