A Gentle Guide to Understanding and Coping with Psychosomatic Symptoms of Anxiety
When we go through prolonged stress or anxiety, our body often begins to speak the language our mind suppresses. This is what we call psychosomatic symptoms physical sensations that arise from emotional distress.
These symptoms can appear as chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, stomach discomfort, numbness, or fatigue. They are real, not imagined. Research shows that nearly 30–40% of individuals with anxiety disorders experience significant physical symptoms that can mimic medical conditions (Dimsdale & Creed, 2009; Henningsen et al., 2018).
This happens because our autonomic nervous system responsible for survival responses like fight, flight, or freeze becomes overactivated when stress is chronic or unresolved. When the brain senses emotional threat, it mobilizes the body for protection, sometimes even when no physical danger is present (Thayer et al., 2012).
Your body, in essence, is trying to keep you safe.