19 Physical Tolls You Didn’t Realize Anxiety Can Take On Your Body

Every day we learn more about the mind-body connection and the physical manifestations of mental illnesses like anxiety. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States, and although they are treatable, only 36.9 percent of those with anxiety receive treatment, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Without treatment, anxiety can present itself in unusual ways in the body.

“People that have chronic anxiety, that can’t figure out how to manage over a long period of time, can start to have somatic symptoms,” Dr. Danielle Forshee, LLC, tells Bustle. “What that means is that, they’re starting to have physical manifestations of the anxiety. Their body is so stressed all the time, because of all the stress hormones that their brain is releasing from being anxious all the time, that their body starts to have negative effects.”

Read on: 19 Physical Tolls You Didn’t Realize Anxiety Can Take On Your Body