Fight, Flight, Freeze, Fawn Symptoms in the Body
One way to understand how the brain can create symptoms in the body is through fight, flight, freeze, fawn nervous system reactions. These stress or trauma reactions are real but they are protective in…
Somatization in those with chronic symptoms
Wanted to touch on somatization again here as it's something that is a focus point of the work I do with people with chronic somatic symptoms. According to this research paper, "more than one-third of…
Insecure Attachment From Childhood Linked to Somatic Symptoms
What is Somatization?
Creating a sense of safety and security within ourselves is important for our brain and nervous system to settle and relax, which helps to reduce somatic symptoms in the body. Research…
Social pain and physical pain similar in the brain
A study at University of Michigan found that 'physical pain and intense feelings of social rejection “hurt” in the same way'. Social psychologist Ethan Kross states: "We found that powerfully inducing…
Catastrophizing an indendent risk factor for widespread chronic pain
A recent study this month February 2024 found 'Pain catastrophizing appears to be an independent risk factor for progression to chronic widespread pain among patients with chronic low back pain. These…
Forgiveness and Health
Forgiveness can be an important piece in the process for chronic symptom recovery. Forgiveness is first about releasing and expressing and offloading our anger and resentment. Holding onto anger creates…
Research shows most chronic neck & back pain is non-structural or nociplastic pain
A recent 2023 study authored by Dr. Howard Schubiner in the Journal of Pain assessed 222 chronic low back and neck pain patients in a primary care clinic. A physician was trained to diagnose for structural…
Stress is a neglected cause of health complaints
The role of mental and emotional stress in medicine has been by and large neglected and un-diagnosed as a primary cause of somatic symptoms and health illness in the body. Most primary health practitioners…
Not knowing what you’re feeling Emotionally can manifest Physically
There's been more and more research emerging on the role of what's called alexithymia and it's role in health complaints in the body. Alexithymia literally means “lack of words for emotions” or is…
Anxiety, Worry, & Somatic Symptoms
There is a bi-directional relationship between anxiety, worry, and functional somatic symptoms (FSS). This 2021 study concluded that:
Previous studies have shown that anxiety and FSS are associated…
