Impact on physical and psychosomatic health

Psychosomatic drive and toxic stress

The body and mind do not function as watertight compartments, but as an indivisible unit.

When the psyche is subjected to a constant siege of humiliation and control, the organism responds by activating biological defense mechanisms.

The victim of psychological abuse lives in a state of permanent alertness (hypervigilance), which causes a chronic release of stress hormones such as cortisol.

This chemical intoxication sustained over time severely weakens the immune system, modifying brain neurotransmitters and leaving the body vulnerable to real illnesses. It is not a matter of "nerves", but of measurable organic deterioration.

Physical complaints without an apparent external injury become the most frequent reason for medical consultation, being the body's way of "screaming" pain that the victim cannot verbalize.

Somatization and chronic pain

Due to this wear and tear, it is very common for victims to present pictures of diffuse somatization that primary care physicians often diagnose as recurrent infections, rhinitis or muscle contractures. However, behind these symptoms lies a traumatic reality.

Musculoskeletal problems (back and neck pain due to accumulated tension), chronic tension headaches, severe migraines and gastrointestinal disorders such as ulcers or irritable bowel are common.

The body takes the toll of trauma; physical pain becomes the tangible manifestation of repressed emotional suffering, creating a vicious cycle where poor physical health further diminishes the victim's ability to cope and defend herself.

Functional and reproductive impairment

The impact extends to basic life functions. Sleep disturbances are almost universal in this group, manifesting as rebellious insomnia or, at the opposite extreme, an excessive need to sleep (lethargy) as a mechanism of evasion of reality.

Drastic changes in body weight and unexplained chronic fatigue are also observed.

In the area of reproductive health, extreme stress and coercive control can lead to gynecological disorders, complications during pregnancy, premature births or miscarriages, and even unwanted pregnancies resu