Somatization: what it is, symptoms, causes and triggers

Somatization occurs when the body expresses emotional distress through physical symptoms. Therefore, physical ailments, however real they may be, have a cause that is, at least in part, psychological. After all, mind and body are closely linked; the health of one depends on the health of the other and vice versa.

How to heal? The path is subjective and depends on many factors. The first step, however, is to learn to recognize your emotions and accept them, and, perhaps even more importantly, try to manage and control stress. Of course, in the society we live in, stress is commonplace, given the hectic daily routine and high social pressure. However, there are many techniques we can follow to succeed in this endeavor, and even supplements can help us.

Definition and Mechanisms of Somatization

We must admit that the term somatization is not easy to define, as we certainly don't use it daily. So let's try to clarify it together to understand what it really is.

Somatization is a phenomenon characterized by physical symptoms of various kinds that do not correspond to an organic cause; in fact, no matter how many investigations are carried out, it is impossible to find a correlation with specific medical conditions. This is normal, as the cause is not physical but psychological.

In most cases, somatization is caused by the difficulty in recognizing and expressing one's emotions. If emotions are not released, if they remain locked inside us, we feel blocked, as if there is a very high wall between us and the outside world, impossible to overcome. Other times, these symptoms can be caused by excessive stress, or by prolonged anguish or suffering. In all these instances, it is as if the body takes on the responsibility for the emotional distress experienced and expresses it through physical symptoms.

Many mistakenly believe that if a physical symptom has a psychological cause, then it is not real. But people who somatize are not faking either the pain or the physical discomfort they experience. The problem is that they usually do not realize, at least not initially, that the causes are psychological because, for example, they have not understood the suffering they are experiencing or have not yet had the opportunity to process it correctly.

Common Symptoms and Physical Manifestations

Now that we have clarified what somatization is, it is natural to wonder what the most common symptoms are.

Physical manifestations affecting skin and hair

When we are stressed, our body produces cortisol, better known as the stress hormone. When this hormone is released into the bloodstream, it reaches the skin, which can become dry, sensitive, prone to redness, itching, and flaking. Furthermore, a person who is somatizing their emotional and psychological distress may also show other psychosomatic symptoms related to skin conditions.

For example:

dermatitis, an inflammatory process characterized by the appearance of swelling and redness, in some cases even actual blisters, all accompanied by itching that can be so intense that it leads the person to scratch continuously and cause more or less deep wounds;
psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory skin disease that manifests with erythematous patches covered with scales;
acne, urticaria, herpes, as well as hyperhidrosis, which is excessive sweating.

As for hair, alopecia areata is one of the most common and widespread symptoms of stress somatization, consisting of hair loss in patches.

Back pain

Back pain can also be a psychosomatic symptom. We discharge the stress we experience every day onto our back, as if it were an emotional burden, and with it, we release responsibilities, numerous commitments, and negative thoughts.

When we go beyond our capacity for endurance, our body tells us it's time to stop. And so, all of a sudden, we find ourselves with a locked back.

Fatigue

Physical fatigue can also be closely related to our psyche, because often those with a latent psychological discomfort have difficulty falling asleep or cannot sleep well.

Breathing difficulties

When we feel short of breath, our heart rate increases, and we experience a sense of dizziness, we rush to the doctor to try and understand what's wrong with our body. If tests do not indicate the presence of a pathology, it is possible that these symptoms are caused precisely by somatization.

Appetite problems

Do you ever find yourself constantly looking for food? This is nervous hunger, a symptom that can be caused precisely by somatization. However, it is also possible to experience the opposite symptom, a truly intense lack of appetite. In these cases, we may find ourselves gaining or losing weight very quickly.

Stomach disorders

Burning, cramps, pain, gastroenteritis, and ulcers can have a psychosomatic origin.

Headaches

A tight band around the head, throbbing temples, and pain so severe that it compromises the normal performance of daily activities can be caused by a psychological disorder.

Sore throat

This is also a pain that can have a psychosomatic origin, but not only. We can also include aphonia, or the sudden loss of voice, among the symptoms of somatization.

Psychological Causes and Trigger Factors

Chronic stress is one of the scourges of our contemporary society, unfortunately becoming increasingly widespread even among the youngest segments of the population. However, the psychological causes that can lead to somatization can also be others.

Consider, for example, unprocessed emotional traumas, such as a recent bereavement or abandonment by a partner with whom we had been for many years. Think of difficulties in relating to others, fears, anxiety, or depression.

Other causes can be repressed anger or suffering that we try in every way to ignore and that we lock away in a dark, deep corner of our being. These emotions remain suspended, unresolved, and if we do not release them, the body takes charge, triggering physical manifestations of various types.

Therapeutic Approaches and Management Strategies

We must set aside prejudices about psychosomatic symptoms and understand that these are real conditions. The pain we feel is real, as is the physical discomfort that may accompany these conditions and which, in more severe cases, could even compromise the normal performance of daily activities. It is not imagination or autosuggestion.

Therefore, it is necessary to choose an integrated approach that considers both the body and the mind, thus the cause and the symptom. In addition to seeking the advice of your doctor, it is advisable to consider starting a psychological or psychotherapeutic path that helps us investigate the causes that led to somatization. However, there is much more we can do independently to counteract the problem or prevent it.

Recognize and embrace emotions

Embrace an emotion? Yes, absolutely. If we learn to love and respect all the sensations we feel, we can learn to manage them and understand that all of them, without exception, are part of us, our way of being, and our personal evolutionary process. Only then can we release emotions, letting them flow, as they should.

Keeping a diary is an excellent activity for learning to recognize and embrace them. The advice is to dedicate at least half an hour each day to this activity, preferably the evening before going to bed, so that you can write down all the emotions experienced during the day and, by discharging them in this way, also manage to rest better.

Or we can look for an activity that serves as a safety valve. This is a rather subjective choice. Some manage to relieve accumulated stress and release their emotions with yoga, others prefer jogging, boxing, or other sports activities, while others prefer meditation or "forest bathing." To each their own! We just need to try as many activities as possible to find out what really works for us.

It is then essential to take time for yourself, whether you want to go shopping or watch a movie on the sofa, it doesn't matter. What matters is that it is time for us, which we can use as we prefer, without thinking about work or other commitments.

Manage Stress

Recognizing and releasing emotions is not enough; we must also learn to keep stress levels under control. The activities we mentioned help a lot in this, it's true, but they alone might not be sufficient. As support, we also recommend breathing and visualization techniques, to be practiced for at least ten minutes each day. Furthermore, it is necessary to learn to delegate, so as not to take on more commitments than we can handle and avoid overloading ourselves.

Dietary Supplements

It is also important to remember that there are many natural supplements that can help us in this endeavor. Keep your stress levels under control with our MOOD Stress support supplement, a product based on Ashwagandha and Rhodiola Rosea which promote relaxation, mental well-being, good mood, and energy, thus counteracting both physical and mental fatigue. In addition, the formula contains vitamin B6, which enables the normal functioning of the nervous system and psychological functions.