Human Needs
THERAPY
Claire de la Varre, PhD, HGDipP, GQHP
Online, and in-person in Edinburgh
Somatic Symptoms:
Physical symptoms with an emotional or psychological component
Please ask your GP about any troubling medical symptoms before seeing me about them e.g. headaches, pain, ringing in your ears (tinnitus), injuries that are taking longer than expected to heal, skin rashes, or stomach problems. Even if you do have an underlying chronic health issue or illness, therapy can help you improve your quality of life by managing the symptoms and your feelings about it.
Mental or emotional stress can cause physical symptoms in the body. If this comes as a surprise to you, think about how many commonly used phrases about this you already know like "It is a pain in the neck!" or "I've been worried sick!"
If you suffer from anxiety or panic attacks you will likely be familiar with one or more of these symptoms: having a churning stomach, rapid heart beat, difficulty breathing, tingling or numbness in the arms or legs, clammy skin, or elevated blood pressure.
Ongoing stress can cause other types of problems like skin rashes, back pain, headaches, brain fog, or sexual dysfunction. You should always consult with your GP about medical symptoms rather than ignoring them, but sometimes there seems to be a mental rather than a physical cause.
It is possible to treat problems caused by stress with medications (e.g. painkillers or antidepressants) but you will only achieve real relief when the cause of the mental stress is identified and addressed. Sometimes the body "shouts" at us through physical symptoms, until we seek appropriate help.
