19 Dec Physical Responses to Emotional Trauma: How Your Body Reacts

Editor’s note: This piece discusses mental health issues. If you have experienced suicidal thoughts or have lost someone to suicide and want to seek help, you can contact the Crisis Text Line by texting “START” to 741-741 or call the Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255.

Let’s face it—life is unpredictable, and the likelihood of encountering problems that can be traumatizing are never zero. Although emotional trauma is commonly associated with mental health, symptoms can occur beyond the brain too. Whether it be surviving a car crash or experiencing abuse, the human body will tend to display an array of physical symptoms as a response to emotional trauma developed from highly stressful events. With 70% of American adults experiencing a traumatic event during their lifetime, exploring the physical responses that signify emotional trauma is an important conversation to have.  

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a long term emotional response to severely stressful events that can physically, emotionally and mentally overwhelm the affected person. Trauma can significantly affect our daily lives through our sense of self, safety, and ability to manage our emotions and relationships. In fact, traumatic events can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); a mental health condition that can develop after a traumatic event. Statistics highlight that about five out of every 100 adults in the United States have PTSD in any given year. Women are also more likely to develop PTSD than men. This is partly due to the kinds of traumatic events that women are more likely to encounter, such as sexual assault. 

Physical Symptoms of Emotional Trauma

There are a variety of physical symptoms that can be associated with emotional trauma. These include muscle pain and tension, an upset stomach, headaches, and even fatigue throughout your body. However, other long-term health problems can also ensue as a result. For instance, trauma survivors are almost three times more likely to develop chronic pain, irritable bowel movements, fibromyalgia, and even chronic fatigue syndrome. Other conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, type 2 diabetes and heart disease can also be contributed from unresolved emotional trauma. 

Professor Stephen Porges from the Kinsey Institute of Traumatic Stress Research at Indiana University developed a theory that may explain the physical ramifications of emotional trauma. His theory—the polyvagal theory—proposes how the evolution of our nervous system allows us to develop emotional connections such as intimacy and safety around our peers. This also interlinks to an emotional process towards elements that pose as threats. When our bodies detect fear or danger, other primal systems that are interconnected also intervene. These involve the sympathetic nervous system that handles our ‘fight or flight’ response and the parasympathetic nervous system that instructs the body to shut down and conserve energy. As they control other functions in the body including our heart rate and digestion, this can cause irregular functions of organs that can trigger the development of physical symptoms and health conditions over time. 

What to do

Fortunately for all of us, there is plenty of help and resources available that can kick start our recovery. With more professionals entering the field, the availability of somebody who is specifically trained and skilled to help you deal with your challenges is higher than ever before. Depending on your circumstances, qualified social workers like those with an online accelerated MSW program or relevant degree in counselling may be in a suitable position to help you. 

Social workers pride themselves as advocates for communities and people, who compassionately help those in need to overcome hurdles and elevate their wellbeing. Social workers also play an essential role in aiding the recovery of those who suffer emotional trauma, regardless of who they are. School social workers, for instance, help children manage emotions, stress, and family matters, and work hard to ensure that issues such as bullying and abuse are dealt with accordingly. Mental health social workers primarily serve victims of emotional trauma including those with post-traumatic stress disorder. They can help victims by providing counselling, coordinating care and recovery plans, and helping them access personal and professional development services and opportunities. 

Emotional trauma can provoke symptoms and physical complications that go far beyond mental health. Over time, this can lead to the development of long term health problems such as diabetes and chronic pain. Seeking help from appropriate individuals such as health workers and doctors can help kickstart your recovery towards a better and brighter state of mental wellbeing.

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Last Updated on December 19, 2024 by Marie Benz MD FAAD