Physical Manifestations of Emotional Issues

As much as a person might try, it's not easy to keep emotions under wrap. When emotional issues are serious, intense or consistent, they have a way of creating various physical manifestations. Sometimes physical giveaways are subtle, while in other cases they can be obvious. The physical symptoms of emotional issues come in many forms and can affect many parts of the body. However, there are several common physical reactions to emotional trauma.

Headaches

• Tension, stress, fear, anxiety and depression can all lead to headaches. Sometimes muscles around the temples and in the neck and should tighten up and create what are commonly known as tension headaches. In other cases, emotional pain becomes intense physical pain via migraines. These sharp, intense headaches show up toward the center of the head and can cause sufferers to vomit and black out. Those experiencing migraines typically benefit from dark, quiet spaces and lying down.

Fatigue

• Depression, stress and mood disorders are among a few of the conditions that can interfere with sleep. When people stay up late worrying, toss and turn from nightmares or just can't reach a deep sleep, fatigue sets in. Look for bags and dark circles around your eyes, difficulty concentrating, trouble staying awake during the day, frequent yawning and uncharacteristic forgetfulness and haziness.

Nervous Reactions

• When emotions become overwhelming, they can send the nervous system into mild shock. That's when you may display uncontrolled physical movements that give away your mental state. Ticks, twitches, shakes, tremors and spasms are some of the easy ones to identify. Some show only in private such as tooth grinding and jaw clenching during sleep. Sexual dysfunction may also manifest itself as those under strain find themselves without libido and in some cases, impotent. In extreme cases, speech may also be affected with stammering, mumbling, dry mouth and frequent swallowing while talking.

Weight

• The emotional link to eating and exercise can have powerful effects. A person under severe emotional stress may gain or lose large amounts of weight. It may come from changes in appetite. Some people turn to food for emotional comfort while others lose their appetites altogether. Additionally, exercise can be a great way to burn off tension and balance moods, but it can also become an unhealthy compulsion signaling an emotional disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia. Depressives typically do the opposite and become lethargic and inactive which in turn lowers metabolisms and leads to weight gain even when eating habits do not significantly change.

Skin Reactions

• Some people wear their emotions on their sleeves. Emotions can affect the skin. Those suffering emotional strain may break out in rashes or hives. Acne is also very common as emotions can change the balance of oils and hormones that affect skin and in turn lead to clogged pores and resulting zits. Treatments can vary from careful eating and washing to topical and oral medications. In some cases, doctors treat the underlying issues such as depression and anxiety rather than the dermatological symptoms. When a person feels better emotionally, typically the skin reactions die down.

Panic Attacks

• Extreme cases of emotional stress and anxiety can lead to panic attacks. These often resemble serious medical emergencies such as heart attacks, strokes and angina. Tightening of the chest, difficulty breathing, chest pains and heart palpitations all mimic more serious cardiopulmonary issues. In fact, they can be just as traumatic and have serious consequences -- especially when falls and accidents occur as a result.