Somatic anxiety

This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. You can assist by editing it. (June 2024) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

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.

"Symptoms typically associated with somatization of anxiety and other psychiatric disorders 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]