Do you feel emotional pain in your body?

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I'm currently very upset about rehoming a pet of mine because I'm not well enough to take proper care of one.
I notice at times like this I don't immediately understand the way I'm feeling because I notice things in my body first. I've had a terrible headache since she left and utter exhaustion and a sense of heavy weight in my arms.
I also feel hollow, like my body is made of paper or something. It's horrible.
So the weight of upsetting things is always there even when I don't actively think on them, because my body feels different and unpleasant when my mind is unhappy.

This is one current example but I always first realize I'm anxious about something because my muscles and nerves feel very uncomfortable and feel weak and shakey etc.

I wonder if anyone else feels this way?

My therapists (and my mum) recently told me that when we are stressed, anxious, upset it is quite usual for there to be physical manifestations of this.

Sure I do.

Whenever I'm emotionally distressed, I get headaches and stomachaches.

Yes, there can be physical manifestations. When greatly upset I can get very shaky, and even nauseous.

Yes, there can be physical manifestations. When greatly upset I can get very shaky, and even nauseous.

Yeah, I feel hollow and shaky sometimes, too. I also tend to feel emotional pain in my chest and deep in my tummy. So sorry to hear about your pet. *Hugs*

Yes, i miss someone very much right now, (my daughter) and I have a stomach ache.

When I feel sad my chin and throat feel tight, for some reason. Does anyone else have this?

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/bod ... in-regions


Emotional and Physical Pain Activate Similar Brain Regions


When people feel emotional pain, the same areas of the brain get activated as when people feel physical pain: the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex. In one study, these regions were activated when people experienced an experimental social rejection from peers. In another more real-life study, the same regions were activated when people who had recently broken up with romantic partners viewed pictures of the former partner.

So, if physical and emotional pain have similar neural signatures, why not take Tylenol (acetaminophen) for grief, loss, or despair? People who had experienced a recent social rejection were randomly assigned to take acetaminophen vs. a placebo daily for three weeks. The people in the acetaminophen condition reported fewer hurt feelings during that period. When their brains were scanned at the end of the treatment period, the acetaminophen takers had less activation in the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex.

Okay...mindblown...

Yeah I seem rather physically sensative to that, have been since I can remember....part of why I wasn't able to have peoples bullying and ostracism bounce off of me without causing mental health damage as a child.

Yes, the difference is that physical pain is more intense and acute ( like cutting yourself ) but it is usually over quickly unless you have something very serious. Emotional pain on the other hand is more mild but lasts much and much longer, it is the kind of pain that creeps up and eats away at you and starts manifesting in many ways ( headache, bowel cramp, muscle stiffness, tightening of the throat, irritable skin, etc. ) and may get worse over time. In the long run it also starts affecting your health and your state of mind. I'm only talking about actual pain here, emotional issues usually also come with a variety of other highly unpleasant feelings that may lead to anxiety attacks, numbness or the onset of a depression.

I find that I bruise and bleed, and have a much worse immune system when I'm anxious or stressed.

For example, I just started in a new school. I have a large, dark bruise over my entire that is about 7 inches in width. It's worrying, but after that, I get bad joint pains anyways, and I'm currently ill, so every day is like hell.