Somatic anxiety

Somatic anxiety, also known as somatization, is the physical manifestation of anxiety.[1] It is commonly contrasted with cognitive anxiety, which is the mental manifestation of anxiety, or the specific thought processes that occur during anxiety, such as concern or worry. These different components of anxiety are especially studied in sports psychology,[2] specifically relating to how the anxiety symptoms affect athletic performance.

Associated symptoms typically include "abdominal pain, dyspepsia, chest pain, fatigue, dizziness, insomnia, and headache".[1] These symptoms can either happen alone or multiple can happen at once.

Although commonly overlooked, scientists are starting to study somatic anxiety more.[3] Studies have shown that some medically overlooked cases that could not relate physical pain to any type of organ dysfunction typically could have been somatic anxiety.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Gelenberg, A. J (2000). "Psychiatric and Somatic Markers of Anxiety: Identification and Pharmacologic Treatment". Primary Care Companion to the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry. 2 (2): 49–54. doi:10.4088/PCC.v02n0204. PMC 181205. PMID 15014583.
  2. ^ Rainer Martens; Robin S. Vealey; Damon Burton (1990), Competitive anxiety in sport, Human Kinetics, pp. 6 et seq, ISBN 9780873229357
  3. ^ Agnafors, Sara; Norman Kjellström, Anna; Torgerson, Jarl; Rusner, Marie (November 2019). "Somatic comorbidity in children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders". European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 28 (11): 1517–1525. doi:10.1007/s00787-019-01313-9. ISSN 1018-8827. PMC 6800882. PMID 30895480.