In today’s fast-paced society, we don’t take enough time to acknowledge and process our feelings. We often think that we should always be on the move, that we don’t need to take time to think about our emotional state, and that it might even indicate a little weakness. Many people choose to ignore and absorb their discomfort, thinking that ignoring it makes them go away.
Psychotherapist Sean Grover has spent his career studying what happens to these repressed emotions in the body. During his research, Grover discovered that certain emotions are physically expressed in certain parts of the body. This phenomenon is called “somatization” – the tendency to experience psychological distress in the form of physical symptoms.
You may have experienced connections between your feelings and physical locations in your body before. This often happens during yoga classes; When we stretch certain parts of the body, muscle tension relaxes and we often experience a strong release from certain feelings associated with past memories or events. It is a sadness that seems to evaporate from our chest, and then our chest is very relaxed, and our emotional state gives us a sense of peace that we have never experienced before.
This is the basis of psychosomatic therapy; find the mental and emotional causes of physical pain in the body. A psychosomatic “disorder” is usually defined as “a physical illness caused or aggravated by mental factors.” These physical pains are often attributed to “anxiety” or “stress,” but doctors have discovered that the human body is a little more complex, as each emotion can have a strong impact on how the body feels. .
Emotions like fear and anxiety naturally tighten the body’s muscles, but when these emotional states occur over a long period of time, certain muscles in the body tighten, causing physical aches and pains. On the other hand, feelings like love and happiness release the neurotransmitter oxytocin, which relaxes the body. The good news is that we can consciously learn to love these parts of our body, relax them, and reduce pain. Denying feelings can keep us in a state of internal conflict, but accepting them warmly without changing them allows them to be released.
Here are 8 places in your body where stress is stored, and the emotions that have been found to be associated with each one.
- Lower back: Anger
The spine is a common place to store pent-up anger. If you experience frequent back pain, stiffness, or pain, take a close look at your emotions and ask yourself if you have any unexpressed anger. To ease this pain, I recommend that you first acknowledge your anger, try to understand its cause, and understand that it is not meeting your needs that is causing the anger. Then learn to express your feelings and needs in a constructive and healthy way to calm your anger when situations arise that don’t meet your needs. - Stomach: Fear
When we are afraid, we tend to tighten our stomach muscles and stomach. It’s no coincidence that some situations make us feel “sick to the stomach.” The more a person denies and represses their fear, the greater the tension and physical response. To relieve psychosomatic stomach tension, find out what the fear is and what is causing it, and talk about it with a good listener and someone you trust. “The more you verbalize your fear, the less impact it has on your body,” Grover explains. - Heart and chest: Pain
When someone has a “broken heart” there is usually a sharp pain in the chest area. Sometimes chest pain seems unexplainable medically, but during therapy work, deep and painful memories of past relationships or losses can surface. Allowing yourself to acknowledge and honor your sadness, and allow yourself to tearfully mourn your loss, can help these pent-up feelings of sadness finally come out and be released, healing the chest pain associated with it. Focusing on feeling love for every hurt part of yourself can be a wonderfully freeing and healing experience. - Headache: Loss of control
We can’t control everything in life, and part of getting into a space of peace of mind is letting go of the belief that everything will be okay and that everything will work out. Trying to control everything too much can lead to mental stress and severe headaches. Practice letting go of what you can’t control and accepting. The practice of mindfulness has incredible healing powers, taking attention away from worry and bringing the body into a calming and relaxing experience. - Neck and Shoulder Tension: Loads and Responsibilities
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- Shouldering too many responsibilities can be a pain in the neck, literally. If you suffer from neck and shoulder tension that has no apparent cause, it’s likely that you’re feeling overburdened. You may have a habit of not asking for help from others and of trying to do everything yourself. To relieve this pain, take some time to write down what is really worth taking on and what is a good idea to get help from others. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or support, especially when feeling overwhelmed, as we’re only human and everybody needs some help sometimes.
