{"id":20615,"date":"2023-07-12T09:27:07","date_gmt":"2023-07-12T14:27:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?p=20615"},"modified":"2023-09-06T07:17:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-06T12:17:04","slug":"thinking-yourself-sick-psychosomatic-illness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/explainer\/thinking-yourself-sick-psychosomatic-illness\/","title":{"rendered":"Thinking Yourself Sick: Psychosomatic Illness"},"content":{"rendered":"

Imagine waking up one day with a throbbing headache, a racing heart and a sense of overwhelming fatigue. You visit your doctor, but after several rounds of tests and exams, they can’t find anything wrong. You feel frustrated and confused, and people around you might even suggest that you’re <\/span>making up your symptoms<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This can feel isolating, but it\u2019s unfortunately common. If diagnosed properly, you may find that you share something in common with this percentage \u2014 you may have a psychosomatic illness that can affect your long-term health and well-being.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What is psychosomatic illness?<\/h2>\n

In plain terms, a psychosomatic illness occurs when physical symptoms are caused or exacerbated by psychological factors like stress or anxiety. It is often difficult to diagnose these symptoms, as the cause is unclear. In some cases, patients may undergo unnecessary medical treatments to identify and treat a physical cause when in reality, the cause is psychological.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Psychological causes like <\/span>stress can greatly impact all of the systems in the body<\/span><\/a> \u2014 from your respiratory system to your endocrine and reproductive systems and beyond. Mainly, stress and anxiety have been linked to changes in hormones, <\/span>immune function and inflammation<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Your automatic nervous system \u2014 which controls both physical functions like your breathing and heart rate along with psychological functions such as stress hormones \u2014 proves even further <\/span>the interconnection between psychological and physical processes<\/span><\/a>. Changes in one can affect the other, leading to a range of physical symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Psychosomatic illnesses are not “all in a person’s head” or a sign of weakness. They are real conditions that require appropriate diagnosis and treatment, which may include both psychological and medical interventions.<\/span><\/p>\n

Potential symptoms of psychosomatic illness<\/h2>\n

Psychosomatic illnesses can present themselves in many ways, and you must <\/span>look for signs in both your mental<\/span><\/a> and physical health. From here, you can receive timely and appropriate treatment, which can improve your chances of recovery.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here are some possible symptoms of psychosomatic illness:<\/span><\/p>\n