Human beings are biopsychosocial entities; they sustain their existence through the bidirectional interaction of biological, psychological, and social processes, as well as through their inner world and external interactions. Alongside our biological processes, we also have mental and social processes. Each of these processes affects the others, and none should be evaluated independently. There is a bidirectional interaction among our emotions, thoughts, and behaviors.

In today’s fast-paced world, while the mind plays an active role, we may struggle to sense our body’s existence on this earth. At this very point, the undeniable connection between body and mind begins to weaken, and we may start to forget—or even at times be unable to feel—the presence of the body. Before we realize it, we may have placed the body at the very bottom of our list of priorities within our routines.

When the body remains in the background, it becomes more difficult to see and feel the reflections of the soul on the body. We begin to feel less like a whole, and it becomes harder to hear our own needs. Preserving mind–body integration supports us in identifying our needs more easily. But what exactly is this mind–body integration? Let us take a closer look at the literature together.

Mind–Body Integration

Physical complaints that have no identifiable medical findings have been a longstanding issue, and many treatment models have been developed around this topic. Over the years, the view that physiological and mental processes should be evaluated in parallel has gained acceptance, and the value of a holistic approach has been emphasized (Dernek et al., 2016; Nazlıkul, 2014; Tütüncü, 2011).

From past to present, there have been conditions whose origins are psychological yet manifest physically. In our current era, there has been an even closer alignment with the psychosomatic approach. When examining an individual’s symptoms, not only their physical condition but also their psychological state is taken into consideration. The psychosomatic approach argues that an individual’s mental processes have an undeniable effect on the soma (body) and that these effects are reflected in physical processes.

The interaction between mind and body and mind–body integration have guided many schools of thought and therapeutic processes as undeniable realities (Totton, 2008; Herman, 2007).

Although it varies across cultures, we often express emotions by somatizing them—that is, by attributing emotions to the body. For example, when we feel distress, we may use expressions such as “it feels like an ox is sitting on my chest” or “my heart aches,” which are more commonly used for negative emotions. Expressing psychological distress through bodily organs in a somatized manner may suggest that emotions that cannot be verbalized can remain in the body (Aydın, Selvi, & Güzel Özdemir, 2013).

It has been observed that anxiety disorders and depression often co-occur with somatization (Ford, 1986). Individuals experiencing depression and anxiety may cognitively experience and evaluate their bodily symptoms in a more intense and arousing way (Ford, 1986).

The Place Of Emotions In The Body

Emotions are perceived and named by the mind and simultaneously reflected in the body as lived experiences (Van der Kolk, 2015). The way each emotion manifests in the body may vary. Every emotion triggers the movement of distinct skeletal muscles in the body and face. Emotions are the result of the interaction among the sensory, somatic, and autonomic nervous systems and are evaluated in the cerebral cortex.

Looking back at history, there are theories that support the relationship between emotion and the body. For example, Rothschild (2017) states that emotions begin to be expressed immediately after birth, coinciding with a baby’s first breath.

Damasio conducted extensive research on emotions with individuals who had damage to specific regions of the brain (Damasio et al., 1999). As a result of these studies, he discovered that bodily sensations shed light on the awareness of emotions. According to Damasio, emotions are experienced at varying levels from person to person through the clustering of sensations. He termed these clusters “somatic markers” and suggested that they guide individuals at moments of decision-making (Damasio et al., 1999).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the body and mind are a whole, and one cannot be conceived without the other. Our body keeps a record of emotions and experiences and can remind us of them through bodily sensations. As shown in the literature, every emotion has a place in the body, and our emotions also remind us of our needs from time to time.

The body remembers and reminds. Being able to notice these reminders supports our state of well-being. Each of our bodily experiences is unique, and every sensation or discomfort occurring in our body functions like an alarm signaling the necessity for change. When we can maintain mind–body integration, we can hear these alarms much more easily and interpret which needs they are pointing to.

To preserve mind–body integration, we must ensure that just as our body is here and now, our mind is also able to remain in the present moment. When we maintain this integration, we become much more capable of hearing what our body is trying to tell us.

To support mind–body integration, we can turn to practices of staying present. Remember, our body is our compass, and it will always show us the way.

Sources

Aydın, A., Selvi, Y., Özdemir, P., Depresyon Hastalarında Aleksitiminin Bedenselleştirme ve Uyku Kalitesi Üzerinde Etkisi. Nöropsikiyatri Arşivi, 50, 65-69
Damasio, A., Atlamaz, B., & Deniztekin, O. (1999). Descartes’in Yanılgısı: duygu, akıl ve insan beyni. Varlık Yayınları.
Dernek, B., Aydın, T., Kesiktaş, F., & Aksoy, C. (2016). Fibromiyalji Sendromunda Tanı, Tedavi ve Rehabilitasyon. 8, 6-10.
Nazlıkul, H. (2014). Fibromiyalji Sendromu (Fms). Bilimsel Tamamlayıcı Tıp, Regülasyon Ve Nöralterapi Dergisi, 8(2), 1-9.
Riva, G. (2018). The Neuroscience of Body Memory: From the Self Through the Space to the Others. Cortex, 104, 241-260.
Rothschild, B. (2017). The Body Remembers. New York: Norton.
Totton, N. (2008). Body Psychotherapy: An Introduction. Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press.
Van Der Kolk, B. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Penguin Books.