What Your Body Is Trying to Tell You: How to Recognize the Signs of Stress and Trauma

What if your body isn’t the enemy, but the messenger? Every signal it sends is guiding you back home to yourself; you just have to listen to it.

The pit in your stomach, the crick in your neck, and even the lower back pain that comes at the most inopportune time can be trying to tell you to stop, look, and listen, but we don’t. Stress and trauma live in our bones, muscles, and tendons. As Bessel Van Der Kolk discussed in his book The Body Keeps the Score, the body knows all and holds all…it’s up to us to listen and then do something to release it.

In my 20s, I didn’t pay much attention to what my body was trying to tell me. I was in a relationship with someone who had a challenging relationship with alcohol, and I was often anxious and on edge…for years. I also experienced the biggest loss I didn’t see coming. I would talk about this ‘gaggy’ feeling I had. Almost like a knot in my throat. It wasn’t until years later, as tingling in my hands, butterflies in my stomach, and back pain that persisted, that I realized these somatic symptoms were rooted in stress and trauma.

The Difference Between Stress & Trauma

It’s important to note that I didn’t really understand what trauma and stress were during this time. Honestly, most people don’t truly understand those concepts/terms. It took years of education, research, and good ol’ living to understand that trauma and stress actually are.

As a trauma therapist, my definition of trauma is any distressing or overwhelming event or series of events that hinders your ability to cope, disrupting your sense of safety, control, or connection with yourself or others. And for stress, it is your body’s natural response to feeling pressured, threatened, or overwhelmed.

So what’s the difference, you might ask? Think of stress as what happens when your body’s alarm system goes off, but then eventually quiets down. Trauma is what happens when that alarm never quite turns off because the experience was too intense, too sudden, or lasted too long. Here are some examples of each:

Stress

Feeling tense before a big presentation or exam.

Arguing with a loved one and needing some time to cool off.

Sitting in traffic when you’re already running late.

Adjusting to a life change, like moving or starting a new job.

Trauma

Experiencing or witnessing violence, abuse, or an accident.

Losing someone suddenly or living through a major loss.

Growing up in an environment where you didn’t feel safe, loved, or seen.

Facing ongoing discrimination, neglect, or emotional harm.

Signs of Stress or Trauma

Stress

• Muscle tension, especially in the neck, shoulders, or jaw

• Headaches or migraines

• Upset stomach, indigestion, or digestive issues

• Rapid heartbeat or feeling “on edge”

• Shallow or irregular breathing

• Fatigue or trouble sleeping

• Feeling restless or jittery

Tip: Stress often eases once the trigger is removed or when you intentionally rest and regulate your nervous system. Be mindful to address the stress early to avoid chronic stress or burnout (a conversation for another blog post).

Trauma

• Chronic tension, stiffness, or pain in the body

• Digestive issues that don’t resolve easily

• Hypervigilance or feeling “always on alert”

• Difficulty breathing or feeling “trapped” in the chest

• Sudden startle responses or exaggerated reactions

• Emotional numbness, disconnection, or feeling “stuck”

• Trouble sleeping or recurring nightmares

• Feeling detached from your body or surroundings

Tip: Trauma signals that the nervous system didn’t fully process the overwhelming experience.

So What Now?

After reading this, you might be able to point out some clear signs that you are stressed or that the trauma from years before has shown up in more ways than one, but you didn’t know what to call it. I’m here to tell you, you are not alone, and there is help out there. Therapy is a great option (I’m a bit biased as a therapist). Modalities such as Somatic Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting, or Trauma-Focused CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) have lots of research backing their effectiveness for treating trauma. Mindfulness-based therapies are also great for managing stress and treating trauma.

Because stress and trauma live in the body, somatic practices can help you notice, release, and regulate these signals, so your nervous system can return to a state of balance.

Ready to take the next step in your healing journey? Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me to explore your goals and create a path toward therapy that meets you exactly where you are.

If therapy isn’t in the cards right now, check out my pre-recorded webinar, “Body & Mind: Navigating Stress and Trauma Through Somatic Practices.” You’ll learn practical tools to calm your nervous system, recognize your body’s signals, and start reclaiming your sense of safety and ease.

Irena Moore is an LPC, LCADC, CCTP, ACS in New Jersey. She is the owner of Moore Healing & Empowerment LLC, offering telehealth therapy sessions in the entire state of New Jersey. She specializes in treating anxiety, grief & loss, stress, and trauma in adults. For more information about her, make sure to visit her website www.mhellc.com

Irena Moore LPC, LCADC, CCTP, ACS

References

Guerrero, M. (2025, September 8). Is it trauma or just stress? 7 signs your body is telling you something deeper. Mind Matters Mental Health Counseling. https://www.mindmattersmhc.com/blog/is-it-trauma-or-just-stress-7-signs-your-body-is-telling-you-something-deeper

Henry Ford Health Staff. (2023, January 18). How your body holds on to trauma. Henry Ford Health. https://www.henryford.com/blog/2023/01/how-your-body-holds-on-to-trauma

van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. Viking Press.