Somatic symptoms are the manifestation of psychological symptoms in a physical form. This post lists some examples of physiological symptoms that could be associated with underlying anxiety, depression, or other mental health issues, if and when medical diagnoses are ruled out.
Given the mind-body connection, somatic symptoms represent how psychological distress can impact other parts of one’s body. Therefore, symptoms like headaches, body pains, digestion issues can all be induced by mental distress. Interestingly enough, somatic symptoms have been found to be more common in cultures and parts of world where mental health is stigmatized and talking about one’s feelings is not acceptable. As a result of bottling up ones emotional experiences, the body expresses the internal psychological turmoil, physically.
**Disclaimer: Always consult a medical professional when physical symptoms arise, and consider if that professional states that your symptoms could best be worked through in therapy.**
Maram Barakat, M.A., is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at Fairleigh Dickinson University. She has a master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University, with a special focus on global mental health and research methods. She is primarily interested in providing access to quality mental health services in low-to-middle income countries and vulnerable populations. She is especially passionate about working with survivors of abuse and violence. In fact, she has integrated her passion with her academic interests by focusing her master's thesis on culturally adapting and implementing cognitive processing therapy to Syrian refugee women who have experienced sexual violence during and post-displacement. Maram has worked as a mental health professional and advocate in Lebanon, Uganda, and New York for the past six years. At the Lukin Center, Maram will be taking on the role of social media manager. Her main responsibilities entail managing and monitoring the center's social media platforms, creating content, increasing engagement, and more. Apart from her professional interests, she enjoys acting, karaoke, and extreme sports.
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