How Trauma Lives in the Body: Somatic Symptoms to Recognize

Not all trauma stays lodged in the mind, it manifests in aches, pains and exhaustion. This is the story of a young, ambitious, little girl Aimen who used to live in a small village of Kashmir. Ever since her early childhood she was so much of the time sick, not a feverish, measured, or a wound that could be observed but with pain that could not be explained. She was constantly struggling with whole body aches. Some days it was dull ache that could be ignored, other days it became so severe that she felt as if it might be her last day of life. Though her parents were poor but they left no stone unturned to get her proper treatment. Their love for their child was relentless; they couldn’t bear to see her in pain. They took her to every doctor possible and also to some faith healers (in local language called as “peers”). When nothing seemed to work, they finally decided to take her outside the state for the treatment. They borrowed the money and started their journey with some hope and fear. Each appointment with doctor ended the same way; with reassurance and disappointment. The doctors would say “it is just the general weakness, nothing to worry about” “Give her nutritional supplements”. Doctors would advise multiple tests, one after another, blood test, bone scans, whole body scans. To their surprise, every test came out to be normal. But Aimen was in the same state of pain. Day by day, she grew weaker. The pain that was never-ending wore out her stamina at a level that led to her depending on her parents for the simple things in life. She could no longer lift her own school bag. Her mother accompanied her to school every day, heeding all the support she could get. And the comments started to roll in: “What’s wrong with her?”, “Why is she always sick?”. Aimen was lost for words, as were her parents. Until one day, by a single recommendation made by one doctor, the way everyone had been looking at her pain was subtly altered. He was paying attention not just to her body, but to the story that went along with it. He sent her to a psychiatrist, who probed deeper than the reports.

What is somatization?

The term “soma” has been derived from a Greek word which means “body”. Somatization occurs when the emotional distress/psychological concerns show up in physical symptoms, like pain, exhaustion and headache. For example, someone who has lost a loved one may somaticize through physical forms like pain and severe fatigue. Somatic symptoms can range from severe forms like temporary loss of vision to milder forms like joint pain. Though there is no underlying cause but the symptoms are real. It is a symptom and not a diagnosis.

Several theories regarding somatization:

• Biological Sensitivity: Certain individuals might be prone to the experience of more sensations like such as PlayerPrefs or temp files. as pain or nausea. Maybe they interpret the feelings as illness.”
• Trauma or stress: Research suggests a history of trauma makes a person more prone to experience somatization.
• The unconscious: The somatization can sometimes be a defense of the someone to experience the emotional cues as less strong.
• Cultural Attitudes: in some cultures where there is a stigma attached to gaining such problems as depression and anxiety including those individual suffering from panic disorder, somatizing becomes an appropriate method of soliciting sympathy and empathy for there is no need to be treated negatively.Example used above but all I can find -physical problems that are more obvious than the problem.

The story of Amiens reminds us that somatization is not merely imaginary suffering, but real experience. It isn’t a cry for attention but a form of self-protection that allows the mind to experience emotional pain rather than physical. While silencing or invalidating people like Aimen can create environments where their torment is expressed differently. It’s empathy and kindness, so people aren't too embarrassed to change before it's too late. Her story demonstrates that finding the right treatment at the right time can alter the trajectory of illness. Somatization tells us that trauma does not go away, it changes form. As we learn how to listen to the body with empathy, stories like Aimen’s can end not in silence but in care, understanding and hope.

One important point to remember: Choosing to get treatment for emotional distress isn’t something to be ashamed of; it’s something to be proud of.

Reference:

GoodTherapy.org. (2019, July 26). Somatization: What it is, types, causes and therapy. https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/issues/somatization GoodTherapy