Most people understand that trauma can affect emotions, relationships, and mental health. What is less commonly understood is that trauma can also affect the body.
For many years, medicine and mental health were treated as separate worlds. A patient might see a physician for headaches, stomach problems, chronic pain, fatigue, or inflammation, while emotional stress was viewed as an unrelated issue. Today, researchers are increasingly recognizing that the brain and body are deeply interconnected.
Experiences such as childhood abuse, neglect, domestic violence, chronic stress, military combat, serious accidents, or prolonged care giving can place the body’s stress-response system on high alert. Over time, this can influence sleep, immune function, hormone regulation, pain perception, and even inflammatory processes.
The physical symptoms are real. The pain is real. The fatigue is real. The body is responding to experiences that have affected the nervous system over time.
Researchers studying Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have found important connections between early life stress and long-term health outcomes. ACEs are potentially traumatic experiences that occur before age 18, such as physical, emotional, or sexual abuse, neglect, witnessing domestic violence, living with a parent who struggles with addiction or mental illness, or losing a parent through death, incarceration, or separation.
The original ACE Study found that as the number of adverse experiences increased, so did the risk for a wide range of health problems later in life, including heart disease, chronic pain, depression, substance use disorders, and other chronic illnesses. While ACEs do not determine a person’s future, they can help to explain how traumatic experiences can leave lasting effects on both the mind and body.
The ways trauma and chronic stress show up in the body can vary widely from person to person. Some individuals experience chronic muscle tension, neck and back pain, headaches, or migraines. Others struggle with gastrointestinal issues, fatigue, difficulty sleeping, or a heightened sensitivity to pain. Some notice symptoms that seem unrelated to emotional stress, such as dizziness, a racing heart, inflammation, elevated blood pressure, or a general sense that their body is always “on alert.”
While these symptoms can have many possible causes and should be properly evaluated by a healthcare provider, researchers are increasingly recognizing that the nervous system and the body often carry the effects of prolonged stress long after the original experience has passed.
The encouraging news is that healing is possible. As medicine continues to evolve, more providers are recognizing the importance of understanding a patient’s life story alongside their symptoms. Effective treatment often includes addressing both the physical condition and the impact of stress, trauma, and nervous system dysregulation.
The goal is not to choose between physical health and mental health. The goal is to recognize that they have been connected all along. As research continues to unfold, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: our experiences shape more than our memories. They can influence the health of our bodies as well. Understanding that connection is not about blaming the past. It is about creating new opportunities for healing in the present.
About the Author
Angela Montondo, M.A., LPC, NCC, CCTP, is the CEO and Clinical Director of Still Waters Counseling & Assessments, Inc. in LaGrange, Georgia. She specializes in trauma, attachment, first responder and military populations, and faith-integrated counseling.
Any content, resident submissions, guest columns, advertisements, and advertorials are not necessarily endorsed by or represent the views of Best Version Media LLC (BVM) or any municipality, homeowners associations, businesses, or organizations that this publication serves. BVM is not responsible for the reliability, suitability, or timeliness of any content submitted, inclusive of materials generated or composed through artificial intelligence (AI). All content submitted is done so at the sole discretion of the submitting party.
