The Body Remembers the Break

Bella Santulli, NAMI Intern 

When mental health declines, the body responds as well. We often think of psychological issues as separate from physical ones, assuming that emotions only exist in our minds. However, stress, anxiety, and depression do not stay confined to our thoughts. They travel through our nerves, settle into our muscles, and resonate within our organs. These emotions can impact our bodies—bending our backs, twisting our guts, compressing our lungs, and weighing down our chests. Our bodies remember the pain long after our minds have tried to forget it.

One of the most compelling examples of the mind-body connection is Broken Heart Syndrome, also known as Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy. This condition is named after the shape of a traditional Japanese octopus trap, owing to the ballooning of the heart’s left ventricle. It typically occurs after intense emotional stress, such as the loss of a loved one, betrayal, or severe anxiety. The symptoms closely resemble those of a heart attack, including chest pain, shortness of breath, and even heart failure. However, there is no blockage in the arteries. Instead, it is the body’s intense emotional response—often triggered by a surge of stress hormones—that causes the heart to temporarily malfunction.This syndrome serves as a powerful reminder that we do not just experience heartbreak in a metaphorical sense; we feel it physically. Our bodies, with all their wisdom and vulnerability, absorb emotional trauma and manifest it through physical crises.

We say we have a “gut feeling,” but anxiety often turns that sensation into a storm. The enteric nervous system, frequently referred to as the body’s “second brain,” lives in our gastrointestinal tract.

It’s why anxiety so often shows up as

• Nausea
• Cramping
• Bloating
• Irritable bowels

When we’re stressed, the body diverts blood away from the digestive system to prepare for a fight-or-flight response. The stomach tightens, digestion slows or halts, and suddenly, your mental unrest is causing real gastrointestinal distress. Furthermore, chronic anxiety can lead to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), appetite changes, and long-term nutritional deficiencies. It’s not “all in your head”—it extends into our microbiome, motility, and hormonal balance.

For instance, our gut hosts trillions of microorganisms that play a critical role in digestion and overall health. Stress can alter the composition of these microbiota, further exacerbating digestive issues. Thus, understanding the interplay between our emotions and gastrointestinal health serves as a reminder: caring for our mental well-being can have profound effects on our physical health. This emphasizes the importance of a holistic approach to wellness—one that considers both mind and body. Engaging in practices that reduce anxiety, such as mindfulness, yoga, or making informed dietary choices, can significantly impact our digestive health and overall quality of life. Ultimately, addressing anxiety is not just about feeling better mentally; it is also about fostering a healthy and functioning body.

Depression often feels like a heavy weight pressing down on the chest—something you simply can’t lift. This isn’t just metaphorical language; it’s a common physical symptom of major depressive disorder. People experiencing depression frequently report sensations such as tightness in the chest, shortness of breath, fatigue, and a slowed heart rate. These symptoms can sometimes be mistaken for heart issues, but they often stem from the body internalizing emotional pain. Low levels of serotonin and norepinephrine—key neurotransmitters that influence mood—also impact pain perception and muscle function. Depression can cause real physical pain, not just emotional distress. It slows the body down, leads to inflammation, and amplifies feelings of aches and fatigue. The tightness you feel in your chest when trying to get out of bed isn’t always due to laziness or illness; it can be a manifestation of grief, loneliness, or hopelessness turned into physical sensations.

Mental health struggles don’t stop at the chest or gut. Stress and trauma live in the body in numerous ways:

• Chronic tension headaches from overactive stress responses.
• Jaw clenching and TMJ linked to anxiety and suppressed emotions.
• Skin breakouts or hives, as cortisol and histamines wreak havoc under pressure.
• Fatigue, fibromyalgia, and body aches, often linked with prolonged trauma and depressive episodes.

Even posture can change—shoulders curve inward, backs hunch, breathing shallows. The body begins to shape itself around emotional pain.

If trauma and mental illness can live in the body, then so must healing. That’s why somatic therapy, yoga, massage, and even deep breathing can offer profound relief—not just to muscles, but to memories. Mental health treatment doesn’t only belong in the therapist’s chair. It belongs in how we treat our bodies—with rest, movement, nourishment, and compassion.

The body remembers the break. But it can also remember how it healed.

Book of the Week: An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures by Clarice Lispector

An Apprenticeship or The Book of Pleasures is a meditative novel by Clarice Lispector that follows a quiet schoolteacher named Lóri as she navigates the complexities of love, solitude, and self-discovery in her evolving relationship with a philosophy professor named Ulisses. In Lispector’s lyrical prose, Lóri undergoes a quiet, inward transformation—one that blurs the boundaries between emotional and physical being. Just as this week’s blog post explores how mental wounds manifest somatically—heartache tightening the chest, anxiety churning the stomach—Lispector’s novel traces how love, loneliness, and longing settle into the body like memory. Lóri’s journey toward self-love and connection is not only psychological but physiological, emphasizing how the act of feeling deeply, even when painful, is a form of embodiment.

Resources
-NAMI Mercer Helpline Phone Number: 609-799-8994 x17
-NAMI Mercer Helpline Email: helpline@namimercer.org

References

• Michel, Klaus, et al. “How Big Is the Little Brain in the Gut? Neuronal Numbers in the Enteric Nervous System of Mice, Guinea Pig, and Human.” Neurogastroenterology and Motility, vol. 34, no. 12, 5 Aug. 2022, https://doi.org/10.1111/nmo.14440.
• Marks DM, Shah MJ, Patkar AA, Masand PS, Park GY, Pae CU. Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors for pain control: premise and promise. Curr Neuropharmacol. 2009 Dec;7(4):331-6. doi: 10.2174/157015909790031201. PMID: 20514212; PMCID: PMC2811866.
• “Neurotransmitters.” Cleveland Clinic, 14 Mar. 2022, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/22513-neurotransmitters.
• ‌“Jonathan Abramowitz | University of North Carolina | Anxiety Disorders.” Unc.edu, 2024, jonabram.web.unc.edu.