Last update: 13 September, 2020
If you have suffered from anxiety, you probably know the concept of somatization. Our body begins to exhibit a series of symptoms that seem to have no cause. For example, we may have shortness of breath, skin rashes or digestive problems. Today we will discover that somatization in addicted people, in addition to being common, is stronger than normal.
When we somatize emotions, we are unable to relate what we feel with what our body manifests. We have a tendency to justify, maybe we believe that that stomach ache is due to a food that made us sick. Or maybe we think the eczema that is bothering us is caused by an allergic reaction. Sometimes it can be like that. However, if we suffer from anxiety and are in an addictive relationship, the most likely thing is that the symptoms we experience mean something else.
To better understand how somatization works in addicted people, we will tell the story of Rebecca (the name has been changed). With this character, we will enter into an unhealthy attachment relationship. We will see that the symptomatology she presents about her to her is indicating that she has to get out of this relationship.
Rebecca's pathologies
Although the relationship did not go well, Rebecca had been with her partner for 3 years. Her partner played video games all the time and wanted to stay indoors all the time. Rebecca, on the other hand, wanted to go out and do other activities. Other than that, in their relationship there were many other problems. Rebecca, however, had started this story for fear of being alone and would hardly have abandoned her.
Rebecca also had many problems with her boyfriend's mother, a single mother who was very attached to her son. She often pretended to be sick to get her attention. This, in addition to the constant calls, generated a lot of discussion. Rebecca protested and got angry, but in the end it gave way and everything returned as before.
After three years of relationship, Rebecca began to experience something strange. Sometimes, in the most particular situations, he manifested an allergic reaction on the face. Sometimes the irritation occurred while having sexual intercourse with the partner. Rebecca didn't care at first. She took her antihistamines and moved on with her life.
This is a clear example of emotions reflecting on the body. As we said at the beginning of the article, somatization alerts us to an emotional problem. In addition, as the symptoms are ignored, the body continues to exhibit other problems until the person realizes what is happening and seeks a solution. These include digestive problems, pains and dermatitis.
The moment when everything got worse
During a dinner with some friends of her partner's mother, Rebecca was unable to speak normally. Her throat seemed to have closed. She managed to control herself in that situation, but the problem kept repeating itself. When she went to the doctor, she was told that she was having a hysterical bolus.
Just like in the case of skin irritations, he didn't care. He ignored the fact that he was starting to suffer from sleep paralysis, severe headaches and nausea. In addition, she felt severe pain in her belly before having intercourse with her partner.
One day they quarreled over their partner's mother and he didn't care for her for a whole day. She did not answer the phone and gave no sign of life. Rebecca began to feel worse, thinking he wanted to leave her. She immediately felt a unbearable headache. She stopped feeling hungry and her blood pressure dropped. She couldn't get up from the sofa because her head was spinning. When her partner called her, all these symptoms disappeared from her until she forgot them.
The relationship of dependence
Rebecca didn't realize she didn't want to be with her partner anymore. She always blamed him for wanting to go home at a certain time to play video games and for not putting any limits on her mother. She was tired of putting up with this situation and angry with herself because at first she didn't say anything, she was blind and now everything disturbed her.
Inwardly wanted to end the relationship because it exhausted her, but he was not capable of it. She was very afraid of being alone. Her inability to make a coherent decision manifested itself on her body. She felt like she was part of a relationship that didn't make her feel good. Eventually, she Rebecca left her boyfriend, but she already had another person in mind to avoid being alone. After some time, the symptoms returned. This time, however, they were multiplied by 100. The cycle repeated itself again and the symptoms worsened.
Don't underestimate somatization
If the problem causing somatization is not resolved, will recur in other circumstances and with other people. In addicted people, this is a warning. This signal indicates that one must delve into what has been ignored for too long.
Somatization in addicted people can be very serious. It can even provoke panic attacks, very serious states of physical discomfort and great unhappiness. Those who suffer from addiction do not realize it. However, if they stop and listen to each other, they will realize that they want to get out of the situation in which they find themselves.
The story we have described not only serves us to learn to identify if we have a problematic relationship, but to recognize these signals in us first and decide to act. If we believe that our body is sending us signals, we try to listen to it. We may find something really useful.
