Symptoms
Lesser known signs of trauma and anxiety
- Feeling negative towards oneself
- Feeling something is not quite right
- Passivity
- Not able to speak up for oneself
- People pleasing
- Caretaking, constantly putting others needs before your own
- Not speaking our truth
- Imposter syndrome
- Feeling responsible for everything and everyone
- Reaching for something external to make one feel better
- Stuck in a relationship we are not happy in
- Feeling of should or ought
- Stream of unfulfilling relationships
- Feelings of shame
- Irrational fears
- Constant feeling of loneliness
- Uncontrollable anger
- Fear of being abandoned by another person or group
- Finding it difficult to say no
- Always being the one to pick up the pieces
- Inability to be alone with oneself
- Always needing to be busy
- Inability to set boundaries
- Feelings of numbness
- Inability to connect with our feelings
- Only able to have fun with alcohol (or drugs)
- Only able to have sex with alcohol (or drugs)
- Obsession with health
- Feeling everything will be ok “once I feel better about myself physically”
- Constant irritabilities about everyday life
This list is not exhaustive and is very individual to each person. All of these symptoms can be caused by events from the past which the brain has not processed. In a non-judgmental and safe environment, we can start to work on what’s worrying you.
Symptoms to our body
Understanding how stress, anxiety and trauma affect the body.
- Brain – finding it difficult to concentrate, anxiety, depression, irritability, mood dips, mind fog, forgetfulness, exhaustion, confusion,
- Joints and muscles – increased inflammation, tension, aches and pains, muscle tightness.
- Immune system – increased risk of being ill, longer recovery time from illness, lower immune function, decreased immune defences.
- Reproductive system – a decrease in hormone production and libido, PMS symptoms increasing.
- Gut – diarrhoea, constipation, bloating pain and discomfort, indigestion.
- Cardiovascular – risk of high blood pressure, higher cholesterol, an increase to the risk of stroke or heart attack.
- Skin – delayed tissue repair, hair loss, dry skin, acne and dull brittle hair.
These, and many more symptoms, are linked to stress and anxiety.
For further reading on this Dr Gabor Maté provides answers to key questions about the link between body and mind and the role that our emotional makeup and stress play in an assortment of common diseases like arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, multiple sclerosis and irritable bowel syndrome in the book When the Body Says No: The Cost of Hidden Stress (2019). I can suggest more reading material if required.
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