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Dec 20, 2019 · My colleagues and I propose that all these aspects of being sick are features of an emotion that we call “lassitude.” And it’s an important part of how human beings work to recover from illness.
Nov 26, 2019 · Feeling “down” — pessimism, apathy, depression — is linked to low levels of serotonin and dopamine, the so-called feel-good neurotransmitters. Serotonin plays a role in pain perception, which may...
Jan 10, 2023 · There’s a scientific reason why being sick makes me weepy and whiny: Mood changes are a symptom of a syndrome known as “ sickness behaviors,” which experts define as a set of behavioral...
- Overview
- Can emotions be trapped in the body?
- Where are trapped emotions stored?
- Symptoms of trapped emotions
- How do you release trapped emotions?
- When to seek help
- Summary
Emotions can cause physical symptoms, such as muscle tension or pain. When these symptoms are persistent, it may feel as though emotions are trapped in the body.
While the idea of emotions being physically trapped in the body is not proven in research, some people report experiencing a release, or catharsis, when they express difficult or long-held feelings, or when they engage in mind-body therapies, such as yoga.
This ties into a growing amount of research on the mind-body connection and the potential benefits of body-based therapies for some mental health conditions.
Keep reading to learn more about emotions being trapped in the body, including where a person might feel them, signs they have trapped emotions, and ways of releasing them.
In a sense, yes. It is well-established that emotions affect the body as well as the mind. If a person has persistent or unresolved feelings that cause physical symptoms, they may feel as though these emotions are trapped or stuck.
For example, people can feel stress as muscle tension, nervousness as butterflies in the stomach, or heartbreak in their chest. Researchers call this phenomenon “embodied emotion.”
These emotions may be something a person is aware of, or they could be subconscious, meaning they are outside a person’s awareness. If they are subconscious or difficult to manage, they may continue affecting the body.
The exact mechanism behind this is still unclear, but scientists believe it is due to how the brain and nervous system process emotions.
Where a person feels their emotions can vary. However, a 2021 review notes that the airways, heart, and gut are common places.
An older 2014 study had similar findings. The researchers asked participants from both Western Europe and East Asia to mark a diagram of the human body to show the body parts that feel “activated” or “deactivated” during different emotional states.
The resulting body maps suggest that people often feel:
•anger in the head or chest
•disgust in the mouth and stomach
•sadness in the throat and chest
Emotions can cause many sensations in the body. For difficult emotions, this could include:
•muscle tension or tightness
•a feeling of heaviness or tiredness
•a “lump” or choking sensation in the throat
•aching or pain
•nausea or “knots” in the stomach
Sometimes, releasing or expressing emotions comes easily. For example, if a child falls down, they may cry due to the pain or shock, but then recover.
In other situations, expressing feelings is more difficult. This can be for a variety of reasons. A person may feel shame or guilt about their emotions or what caused them. Alternatively, they might be afraid of their feelings, or simply be unaware of them.
A qualified therapist can help someone work through these difficulties. Some therapists work specifically with body-based approaches, which means they focus on the body as well as the mind.
Research on these types of psychotherapy is still in the early stages, but a 2020 review on one type, known as somatic experiencing, found some evidence that it could have positive effects on people who have experienced trauma and those who have not.
Additional techniques a person could try include:
•Trauma-informed yoga (TIY): This form of yoga aims to help people reconnect to their bodies after trauma, which some people report results in an emotional release. A 2022 rapid review found evidence that yoga helps trauma survivors feel more centered and self-compassionate, and that it may teach coping skills. However, more high quality research is necessary.
Anyone who is concerned about their mental health can speak with a doctor or therapist for advice. A person does not need to have a diagnosis or wait until symptoms become severe before they seek help.
Similarly, people should consult a doctor about any unexplained physical symptoms. Even if they are fairly certain the cause is psychological, it is important to rule out other explanations. Only a doctor can do this.
When looking for a therapist, always check they have the right accreditation. The field of body-based therapy is still relatively new, and not all practitioners who claim to be able to help are trained in treating mental health conditions or past trauma.
Learn some tips for finding a therapist here.
Emotions have a significant impact on the body. If an emotion is persistent, it may cause recurring physical discomfort, such as teeth clenching when stressed. This may feel as though emotions are trapped in the body.
Medical research has not proven that this is literally what is happening when emotions affect the body, but early research suggests that body-based therapies such as TIY or somatic experiencing may help to improve mental health, particularly for those with PTSD.
Some people report experiencing a release during these therapies, which may feel like a wave of intense emotion that passes, leaving a person feeling better. More research is necessary to understand this connection.
Anyone who is concerned about their health should check with a doctor to rule out physical causes before working with a therapist.
- Amy Murnan
Jul 31, 2018 · Chronic stress and exposure to emotional events can cause a psychogenic fever. This means the fever is caused by psychological factors instead of a virus or other type of inflammatory cause. In...
- Adrienne Santos-Longhurst
Dec 9, 2023 · When considering how your emotions affect your mental health, it is important to first note that no emotion is truly "bad" or negative. Instead, negative emotions are a signal that...
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Jan 6, 2018 · There is plenty of evidence that having a cold impairs mood, alertness and working memory and that brain performance falls off with even minor symptoms. But for most people, having a cold does...
