Stress Management Effects on Health How to Handle a Stress-Related Psychosomatic Illness By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD Twitter Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. Learn about our editorial process Updated on April 20, 2022 Medically reviewed Verywell Mind articles are reviewed by board-certified physicians and mental healthcare professionals. Medical Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. Learn more. by Amy Morin, LCSW Medically reviewed by Amy Morin, LCSW Facebook LinkedIn Twitter Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time. Learn about our Medical Review Board Print Jamie Grill / Getty Images Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Types of Psychosomatic Illness Stress-Induced Symptoms Coping Relieving Stress for Health Frequently Asked Questions Psychosomatic illness involves experiencing physical symptoms that are influenced by psychological problems or emotional stress. Stress-related illness is very common, but people often mistakenly think that the physical symptoms caused by or exacerbated by stress are not serious. Psychosomatic illness can cause physical symptoms that have a serious impact on your health. An estimated 60 to 80% of primary care visits are due to health problems influenced at least in part by stress, so psychosomatic illness is more common than people realize. Types of Psychosomatic Illness Psychosomatic illness can impact the body in a number of different ways. Some common examples of symptoms and problems that a person might experience that stem from psychological causes include: Back pain Body aches Cognitive problems Erectile dysfunction Fatigue Hair loss Headaches and migraines High blood pressure Insomnia Pain Stomach upset Stomach ulcers Skin rash Weight changes It is important to note that this does not mean that these conditions are always caused by psychosomatic illness. They often have medical causes. If you are experiencing these problems, you should talk to your healthcare provider in order to identify the cause and receive appropriate treatment. Stress-Induced Symptoms When you are under stress, you may experience physical symptoms. These can include aches, pains, muscle spasms, and headaches, possibly from unconsciously tensing your muscles for extended periods. This is because your body secretes a hormone called cortisol when you are under stress. What Is Cortisol? Cortisol is a hormone secreted by the adrenal glands. It plays an important part in the body's stress response. When a person is under stress, cortisol helps prepare the body to deal with the threat. However, too much cortisol is bad for health and can contribute to high blood pressure, impaired cognition, increased inflammation, lower immunity, and other health consequences. In addition to being the "stress hormone," cortisol affects wide range of other body functions. This affects your blood pressure, heart rate, digestion, and glucose levels. This is why too much of the hormone, particularly over a long period of time, can lead to problems such as stomach problems, thyroid problems, slow wound healing, hypoglycemia, and decreased bone density. These symptoms can lead you to see a doctor, who then may rule out any disease process that might be causing them. Without a diagnosis, you may only get treatment aimed at relieving the symptoms or no treatment at all. You may continue to have the symptoms or only partial relief from them. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a mental health professional to help address some of the psychological and emotional factors contributing to your illness. Psychological treatments and stress management are important, but this does not mean that psychosomatic illnesses do not require medical treatment. Medications may be prescribed to help treat symptoms that you are experiencing. Coping With Psychosomatic Illness In addition to treating the physical symptoms, there are strategies that can help manage psychological aspects of the condition and manage stress levels. A few different solutions might be effective for relieving stress-related psychosomatic illness. Psychotherapy Research suggests that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can be effective for treating stress-related disorders. CBT can minimize stress by correcting faulty negative beliefs, reducing safety-seeking behaviors, and enhancing stress coping skills. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) may also help reduce stress levels and improve coping skills. Medications Your healthcare provider or therapist may also prescribe medications such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety medications. Mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can contribute to physical symptoms, so medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and benzodiazepines may be helpful for improving well-being. Self-Help Self-help may also be an effective tool for reducing medically unexplained symptoms and improving quality of life. Research suggests that self-guided stress management can be helpful for managing symptoms of stress. However, this approach may be best utilized as a first step or as part of a more comprehensive treatment program. Relieving Stress for Health If you are experiencing health concerns that might be related to stress, your first step should be to talk to your healthcare provider. They can rule out other causes and recommend treatments that may help. However, there are also steps you can take to relieve stress and improve your overall health. To stay healthy, learn to deal with stress well and eliminate excessive stress from your life. You need to create a healthy lifestyle that includes less stress and more well-being. Strategies that may be helpful for reducing stress levels include: Avoiding smoking and alcohol Deep breathing Focusing on the things you can control Getting regular exercise Getting enough sleep each night Gratitude journaling Meditation Mindfulness Progressive muscle relaxation Social support There are dozens of stress-relieving tactics available, so it is important to learn what stress relievers work best for you. Create a stress management game plan to examine and change the stress in your life. By maintaining healthy habits, you can minimize the stress in your life and reduce the impact of stress-related psychosomatic illness on your health and well-being. Frequently Asked Questions How can you tell if something is psychosomatic? If you experience physical symptoms in the absence of an injury, disease, or illness, there is a chance your symptoms might be psychosomatic or stress-related. It is important to talk to your healthcare provider for an assessment and diagnosis. If no medical causes are found, your healthcare provider can recommend treatments to address symptoms, work with you to manage stress, and refer you to a mental health professional for further assistance. Do psychosomatic symptoms feel real? Psychosomatic symptoms are real. While they may be attributed to stress or psychological origins, they have a very real impact on your body. Psychosomatic symptoms are not "all in your head" or imaginary. They are real symptoms that require real treatments. Unfortunately, stigma about psychosomatic illness often leads people to avoid seeking treatment. Learn More: What Is Stigma? What medications can help psychosomatic illness? Medications such as antidepressants or anti-anxiety drugs may be prescribed to help treat some of the psychological issues that are contributing to symptoms. Other medications may also be prescribed to help alleviate symptoms of muscle pain, stomach upset, and headache. Medical treatments may also be needed to treat conditions that are caused by chronic stress, such as problems with blood glucose levels and elevated blood pressure. 7 Sources Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Nerurkar A, Bitton A, Davis RB, Phillips RS, Yeh G. When physicians counsel about stress: results of a national study. JAMA Intern Med. 2013;173(1):76-77. doi:10.1001/2013.jamainternmed.480 Bransfield RC, Friedman KJ. Differentiating psychosomatic, somatopsychic, multisystem Illnesses, and medical uncertainty. Healthcare (Basel). 2019;7(4):114. doi:10.3390/healthcare7040114 Nakao M, Shirotsuki K, Sugaya N. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies. Biopsychosoc Med. 2021;15(1):16. doi:10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w Amanvermez Y, Zhao R, Cuijpers P, de Wit LM, Ebert DD, Kessler RC, Bruffaerts R, Karyotaki E. Effects of self-guided stress management interventions in college students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Internet Interv. 2022;28:100503. doi:10.1016/j.invent.2022.100503 Mental Health America of Eastern Missouri. Psychosomatic symptoms. von dem Knesebeck O, Lehmann M, Löwe B, Makowski AC. Public stigma towards individuals with somatic symptom disorders - Survey results from Germany. J Psychosom Res. 2018;115:71-75. doi:10.1016/j.jpsychores.2018.10.014 Cleveland Clinic. Pain: Psychogenic pain. Additional Reading Dessel NV, Boeft MD, Wouden JCVD, et al. Non-Pharmacological Interventions for Somatoform Disorders and Medically Unexplained Physical Symptoms (MUPS) in Adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. January 2014. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd011142.pub2. Gils AV, Schoevers RA, Bonvanie IJ, Gelauff JM, Roest AM, Rosmalen JG. Self-Help for Medically Unexplained Symptoms. Psychosomatic Medicine. 2016;78(6):728–739. doi:10.1097/psy.0000000000000325. Menon V, Rajan T, Kuppili P, Sarkar S. Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Medically Unexplained Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Published Controlled Trials. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine. 2017;39(4):399. doi:10.4103/ijpsym.ijpsym_17_17. By Elizabeth Scott, PhD Elizabeth Scott, PhD is an author, workshop leader, educator, and award-winning blogger on stress management, positive psychology, relationships, and emotional wellbeing. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Speak to a Therapist for Stress Management Advertiser Disclosure × The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Verywell Mind receives compensation.