What are the effects of emotions on physical health?
It may be difficult to believe that negative emotions can cause lasting damage to the physical body — and you may not be aware of your level of stress or your emotional triggers. Short-term spurts of anger or anxiety are beneficial to our survival as a species, as they keep us alert when there is danger or aid us in confronting an attacker. Being in a perpetual state of negative emotion, in contrast, is harmful to the human body.
Which negative emotions affect physical health?
Negative emotions may be as clear-cut as anger and fear, or they may be more confusing and complex, like helplessness, guilt, and jealousy. It’s important to name the feelings you’re experiencing before you attempt to get rid of them entirely. Certain emotions are linked to physical health problems. Consider the four below and ask yourself whether you know how to recognize them in your own life.
Stress
Short-term periods of stress may enable you to work harder, adapt to a life challenge, and help you focus when you’re doing something important. Long-term stress, though, can weaken your immune system, give you an upset stomach, and contribute to tight muscles. It can also cause headaches, chronic insomnia, and high blood pressure.
It’s crucial to take steps to decrease your level of stress so that it does not leave you with lasting and irreversible physical health problems. There is no blood test you can take to determine how stressed you are. Your doctor will diagnose stress based on your reports and his or her observation of your behavior. Experts recommend gentle physical activity, meditation, and breathing exercises as a start to counteract the pervasive symptoms of negative emotions and stress that can affect your entire body.
Anger
Like stress, long-term anger can put your physical health at risk. You may already know you have a problem with anger, or you may always feel annoyed, quick to lose your temper, or frustrated at everyone else’s perceived incompetence.
Frequent angry outbursts can increase your stress level, and they can also contribute to physical symptoms such as chest pain and higher-than-normal blood pressure. If you already have a heart condition, your chronic anger may affect your ability to recover and keep your heart healthy in the future.
Physical symptoms of anxiety such as sweaty palms and shaking hands are well-documented. If you have panic attacks or simply experience a lot of generalized anxiety every day, you may additionally notice tight muscles, a weak body, stomach problems, and a fast heartbeat. Untreated anxiety can cause several confusing and scary physical symptoms such as chest pain, shallow breathing, and muscle twitches.
Grief is as much a state of being as it is an emotion. It is often overwhelming and intense, and many researchers and mental health professionals believe that it is healthier to let grief work its way out of your life over time. This laid-back approach doesn’t always work, and sometimes people need help to move on. More complicated or prolonged grief may look different. Maybe you can’t stop thinking about your loss, are experiencing physical and mental health problems, or can’t seem to think or talk about anything but your loss.
Like the negative emotions listed above, grief affects the physical body in various ways. Symptoms of both short-term and prolonged grief may include tiredness, body aches, and sleep issues.
It’s important to note that the grieving process does take time. If you notice yourself feeling stuck in your negative emotions or if your physical health has taken a turn for the worse after a loss, it may be time to get in touch with your doctor or mental health professional to develop new ways to cope.