I've never met a chronic physical symptoms that doesn't have a related emotional component

You may be surprised to discover that your physical symptoms aren’t purely physical. Even symptoms that began as physical through injuries or illness become enmeshed with emotions the longer they persist.

Our minds and bodies aren’t separate. As much as the mind-body connection is now a common slogan, most people still think one affects the rather than grasping that mind and body aren’t two distinct entities. If your mind is anxious, there may be simultaneous physical experiences such as shallow breathing, sweating or increased heart rate. It’s illogical to try and isolate the physical and emotional symptoms. They are inter-connected.

Unfortunately, a lot of medical treatment focuses entirely on the physical symptoms without taking into account the emotional strain in the patient’s life. If someone is under major financial stress and shows up with recurring low back pain, I’d wager that physiotherapy alone won’t resolve it.

We need physical treatment and emotional processing to heal the back pain regardless of whether the back pain preceded the financial strain. Our emotional stressors weave their way into our bodies’ weakest links.

Most people have no idea how to process life stressors and prevent them from getting stuck in the body.

Awareness is the first step. Simply acknowledging that there may be emotions tied into your physical symptoms can create an opening. There’s no stigma attached. This process happens to everyone but most people don’t know it.

Begin by questioning your beliefs about whatever ails you. Be still, breathe and allow yourself to feel what else you might be holding. Don’t be discouraged if you feel nothing when you start. It takes time to shift your awareness and make these connections.

Note: If you have a history of trauma, it’s more complicated to extricate the emotions from the physicality and more therapeutic support may be needed.