It's easy to dismiss your headache as a result of too much coffee, or your anxiety as nervous butterflies. But your body could be telling you more than you realize about your environment and the people in it.
Our bodies can sometimes show us what our subconscious has become aware of, but we're yet to consciously realize.
Trauma therapist Shannon Thomas, the author of "Healing from Hidden Abuse" told Insider that many of her clients who were in abusive or toxic relationships ended up experiencing physical symptoms, with no obvious medical explanation.
"I don't know of a client yet who hasn't experienced some sort of body reaction to being in an abusive relationship," Thomas said. "There are varying degrees, it's a wide spectrum, but every single person had some physical manifestation of the abuse."
Psychotherapist Lisa Lawless told Insider the toll that toxic relationships can take on the body is "surprisingly powerful."
"It's essential to understand that emotional stress can manifest in physical symptoms," she said. "It's vital to listen to our bodies and recognize when something is not right."