Treatment concept

Illness is multidimensional – The connection between trauma, stress and physical health

In my work, I have repeatedly found that illness is not one-dimensional. In order to understand the complex patterns of a disease, a complete picture of the patient’s life history is needed. Many symptoms, autoimmune diseases and chronic pain are directly linked to the so-called stress axis (CRH axis), which has been shown to play a central role in traumatic experiences and their consequences.

Despite a wide range of knowledge, many people are not aware of how strongly early life experiences influence our health. In childhood, the nervous system is particularly plastic, which is important for development, but also means that negative experiences can become deeply rooted in the nervous system. These can later manifest themselves in traumatic reactions. The definition of trauma has expanded in recent years and now encompasses all experiences that cannot be adequately processed by the nervous system.

Early childhood experiences are therefore of great importance for medicine as a whole. Any experience that involves a loss of security – whether through neglect, disregard or even physical violence – can have potentially traumatic consequences. Children who are exposed to chronic stress (e.g. through family conflict, disregard for their needs or abuse) develop neural patterns that can increase the risk of mental illness as well as autoimmune diseases and even cancer.

These stressful experiences also shape later life: Adults who experienced chronic stress in their childhood often have a higher risk of mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, which in turn can promote autoimmune diseases. This shows how closely body, mind and soul are connected – and why these connections should never be viewed in isolation.

It is also important to understand that non-obvious consequences of trauma can also lead to health problems. Stress in adulthood – for example due to unsatisfactory work, bullying or personal crises – also plays a central role in the development of physical and mental imbalances. Acute or chronic stress increases nutrient consumption and promotes unhealthy behaviors such as the consumption of alcohol, cigarettes or unhealthy eating to cope with the strain. Healthy mechanisms for self-regulation are often lacking because they were not learned in childhood.

This vicious circle leads to the body and mind being increasingly neglected and the symptoms manifesting themselves more and more. In many cases, this results in persistent exhaustion, which is often perceived as a diffuse health problem. It is often not clear which came first – the physical symptoms or the mental stress – but not everything always needs to be analyzed in detail in order to recognize the need for holistic treatment.

Diseases such as metabolic syndrome, which are partly genetic, also have many different causes. Stress, emotional eating and a permanent increase in cortisol production contribute significantly to this. Traditional medicine often only treats symptoms – for example with medication that regulates blood values – without considering the underlying causes. This approach is important, but not sufficient to heal the person as a whole.

Experience from my own practice has shown that many patients do not really feel healthy or able to perform under purely symptom-oriented treatment, as the underlying emotional and psychological blockages remain unaddressed. What we need is a therapy that integrates the body and mind and recognizes and works through the underlying patterns. This is the only way to achieve long-term health.

For me, it is therefore not surprising that so many people suffer from non-specific symptoms of exhaustion. The key to successful treatment lies in an empathic, holistic approach that is both scientifically sound and individually tailored to the patient.

I work with my patients not only on a physical level, but also in the area of trauma-sensitive support. Here they learn to recognize their patterns, strengthen their body awareness and integrate traumatic experiences. This is a central element of my work in order to treat both chronic and acute illnesses in the long term and restore physical and mental balance.

Metabolic syndrome – an example of multifactorial diseases

Metabolic syndrome is an example of a disease that is influenced by many factors, including genetic predisposition, unhealthy eating habits, stress and emotional eating. Traditional treatment approaches often focus only on regulating blood pressure and blood sugar without considering the psychological and emotional causes. In my practice, I see it as crucial to include the emotional and psychological aspects in order to facilitate long-term and sustainable healing.