psychosomatic
Physical symptoms caused or aggravated by mental or emotional factors
Examples
In a meeting
“Many of the health complaints we're seeing are psychosomatic responses to workplace stress.”
Over coffee
“The doctor said my stomach issues might be psychosomatic since all the tests came back normal.”
Why this word
psychological
psychosomatic specifically indicates physical symptoms caused by mental factors, not just mental phenomena alone
mental
psychosomatic describes the mind-body connection producing real physical symptoms, not purely mental experiences
stress-related
psychosomatic is the precise medical term for physical manifestations of psychological conditions, while stress-related is vaguer and informal
Usage tip
Use carefully to avoid seeming dismissive. Emphasizes real physical symptoms with psychological origins.
Etymology
Greek: psyche (mind) + soma (body)
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The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties or stress
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Characterized by much sitting and little physical activity
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Severely weakening or impairing physical or mental strength
palliative
Relieving symptoms without curing the underlying condition