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How Can I Prevent Stress-Related Psychosomatic Illness? Is It In My Head?

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com

Updated: September 21, 2008

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Question: How Can I Prevent Stress-Related Psychosomatic Illness? Is It In My Head?

"I've been under a lot of stress for a while now, and I'm experiencing some physical symptoms. I'm sure it's psychosomatic--due to stress--so I'm not sure if I should take it seriously or not. How should I handle this, as it seems like it could be 'all in my mind'?"

Answer: Stress-related illness is very common, as is the misconception that physical symptoms that occur due to stress are not serious, or not 'real' problems. ("It's just stress.") Pscyhosomatic illness originates with emotional stress or damaging thought patterns, but has physical symptoms that are real and can harm you as much as symptoms that originate from other means. (In fact, it's been estimated that over 90% of doctors visits are due to health problems influenced at least in part by stress, so psychosomatic illness is more common than people realize!)

Do you have a problem with stress and your health? The following resources explain more in depth the link between stress and health, and can let you know more about the major and mild psychosomatic illnesses that could affect you.

To stay healthy, it's important to learn to deal with stress well and eliminate excessive stress from your life. The following resources should help you to create a healthy lifestyle that includes less stress and more wellbeing.

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Stress Management

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