Palpitations, Insomnia, Indigestion, Dizziness, Chronic Fatigue | 5 Symptoms Anxiety Creates
Table of Contents
Why Does Anxiety Manifest Physically?
5 Physical Symptoms Caused by Psychological Anxiety and Their Interpretation
1. “I’m feeling anxious.” — The Danger of an All-Too-Common Phrase
Is there anyone who isn't anxious in times like these? Patients sitting in the clinic often say, “I've just been feeling anxious lately.” This phrase has become as common as a cold. However, this anxiety is not merely a matter of mood. My heart keeps pounding, I have indigestion, and I can't sleep. My head feels foggy, and I also feel like I can't breathe. I even feel dizzy, and sometimes like I'm about to collapse. So, they go to the hospital. ECGs, endoscopies, blood tests… they all come back normal. But the symptoms persist. In such cases, people say, “It seems to be just psychosomatic.” But that "just" is truly agonizing.
2. The Body's Response Triggered by Psychological Anxiety
Anxiety is not just a feeling; it's a physical reaction. And it's a quite specific and repetitive one. For example, these symptoms include:
- Heart palpitations: My chest keeps fluttering/pounding.
- Indigestion: I get bloated and feel uncomfortable after eating.
- Sleep disturbance: Thoughts flood my mind when I lie down to sleep.
- Dizziness: A floating sensation, momentary blurred vision.
- Fatigue: My body feels heavy and I lack energy even when I haven't done anything.
This isn't merely a sign of being overly sensitive; it means your body is ‘feeling anxious.’ Sometimes the body sends a warning first, and often, accumulated psychological tension leads to a breakdown in physiological balance.
3. When Tests Show No Abnormalities, But the Suffering Is Clear
Although tests indicate no issues, the patient's suffering is real. In such cases, terms like somatization disorder or hypochondriasis are often used. They say, “It's the mind's pain expressing itself as physical pain.” However, such statements can reduce the suffering to merely a ‘psychological issue.’ The problem is the mind, so why does the body hurt? That's not right. Mind and body are not separate to begin with. A one-dimensional model like “psychological problem → physical symptom” cannot explain it. Instead, repeated physical imbalances that go unexplained, untreated, and accumulate, eventually solidify into a vicious cycle of anxiety and suffering.
4. Distorted Cognition? No, a History of Failed Solutions
Behavioral therapy suggests “correcting distorted thoughts” in such cases. For example, if one's heart pounds, the thought “it might be heart disease” is considered irrational, and the goal is to correct it. However, even the word ‘irrational’ can feel like a dismissal to the patient. This is because that person has dozens of painful and unexplained experiences. This isn't simply distorted cognition; it's an accumulation of unvalidated experiences. And that unvalidated language of the body has now come to be interpreted as the language of fear.
5. The Perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine
In traditional Korean medicine, anxiety is not simply viewed as a ‘psychological problem.’ Anxiety is seen as an ‘imbalance in the body's flow’ where ‘Qi’ rushes upwards, heat in the heart surges, and the Qi of the liver becomes stagnant. The heart pounds, the spleen is suppressed, the liver is blocked, and the kidneys are unable to sustain what they should… Within this overall flow, the turbulent emotions of anxiety arise.
6. Rebuilding Trust with Patients Through Their Symptoms
Therefore, the treatment approach is also different. It's not just about saying, “Try to change your thoughts.” The body must change first. By regulating irregular sleep, alleviating abdominal discomfort, and adjusting the flow of Qi and blood, patients must first physically experience the sensation of “I am getting better.” This is the ‘Bo-Beop’ (補法, tonification method) of traditional Korean medicine, a strategy to enhance the body's own restorative power.
7. Listening to the Anxiety Your Body Expresses
When anxiety manifests physically, dismissing it as “just nerves” immediately closes off the possibility of effective treatment. The body is clearly speaking. Difficulty breathing, heart palpitations, and sleeplessness are all signs that “I am currently overwhelmed and breaking down.” Only when we listen to these signals, follow them, and gradually restore the body's flow—can anxiety truly become an emotion that can be alleviated within our bodies.