The Hidden Effects of Trauma: Anxiety, Depression, Chronic Illness and Pain, and Disordered Eating
Trauma is not just something that happened long ago. It can show up in your everyday life as anxiety, depression, pain, or struggles with food. Maybe you look like you have it all together, but inside you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Online trauma therapy can help you make sense of these feelings and find real relief, all from the comfort of your own home.
Trauma and Anxiety Disorders
Trauma and anxiety often go hand in hand. Large studies show that people with PTSD usually have at least one other diagnosis, most often an anxiety disorder. Anxiety can feel like constant worry, a busy mind, and trouble relaxing, even when nothing is wrong. This can make it hard to make decisions, get things done, or sleep, leaving you feeling like your mind never gets a break.
After trauma, anxiety can sometimes lead to panic attacks. You might suddenly feel afraid, have a tight chest, a racing heart, or worry that something is wrong with your health. Many people go to the ER and are told nothing is physically wrong. You may also find yourself often checking your body for signs of illness and asking doctors, loved ones, or searching online for reassurance.
After trauma, it is common to feel more anxious around others. You might replay conversations, worry about what people think, or avoid social situations. This can make it hard to connect with friends, date, or feel at ease at work. Many people also feel constantly on guard, looking for danger, and are unable to relax. Your body is trying to protect you, but it can be very tiring.
Trauma and Depression
Depression often goes along with trauma. Nearly half of people with trauma also meet the criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD), and studies show that depression and PTSD often occur together, with rates ranging from 21% to 94%. Having both PTSD and depression usually means more severe symptoms, more hopelessness, and greater difficulty in daily life than having just one of these conditions.
You might notice a constant low mood, emotional numbness, or a feeling of being fundamentally “alone,” even in the presence of supportive people. Loss of motivation and pleasure is common, and tasks that once felt simple—starting work, responding to messages, taking care of daily chores—can feel heavy or impossible. Studies of depressed patients show that those who also screen positive for PTSD report more severe depression symptoms, lower social support, more frequent healthcare visits, and higher rates of suicidal ideation.
Feeling shame or blaming yourself after trauma is very common. You might hear an inner voice saying you are too much, not enough, or not doing things right. You may pull away from others, not because you do not care, but because it feels safer. You deserve support that recognizes both your pain and your strength.
Trauma and Chronic Illness
Trauma affects the body as much as the mind. Research shows that people who have experienced trauma are more likely to have chronic pain, headaches, TMJ problems, and digestive issues, among other conditions. Many people go through many medical tests before anyone asks about trauma, even though PTSD often occurs with medical illnesses.
In daily life, this can show up as chronic muscle tension and TMJ symptoms like jaw clenching or teeth grinding, leading to neck, back, and facial pain. Tension headaches or migraines may get worse during stress. Digestive problems like IBS and chronic stomach pain are also common in people with trauma and can make work, social life, and travel difficult.
Sleep is often affected, too. Many with trauma have trouble falling or staying asleep, or feel unrested, sometimes with nightmares. Poor sleep can make anxiety, pain, and mood problems worse. This creates a tough cycle. Research links trauma to conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic pain. People with PTSD often have several medical issues at once. Trauma-informed therapy is not a substitute for medical care, but it can help with the nervous system patterns that add to chronic symptoms.
Trauma and Disordered Eating
The link between trauma and disordered eating is strong and more widely recognized now. Studies show that PTSD is common in people with eating disorders, with 9% to 24% also meeting criteria for PTSD. Some research finds even higher rates, like up to 45% in bulimia and over 20% in binge eating disorder, much higher than the 6–7% PTSD rate in the general population.
In daily life, this might mean eating to cope with distress, numbness, or loneliness—using food to feel better, then feeling guilty or ashamed afterward. Some people go back and forth between strict dieting and binge eating, feeling either very controlled or out of control. Studies show that people with both PTSD and eating disorders often have more severe symptoms, more social difficulties, and a lower quality of life than those without PTSD.
For many, controlling food, weight, or exercise creates a sense of safety when life feels unpredictable. Rigid rules about food may reduce anxiety for a while, but bring more distress when broken or hard to follow long term. Many people struggle with body hatred, distrust of hunger and fullness cues, or feel disconnected from physical needs. Research highlights emotional dysregulation as a key factor linking PTSD and eating disorders. This is why trauma-informed care works better than only using behavioral strategies.
Trauma and Body Image Concerns
Body image worries often get worse after trauma, especially if trauma involved others or your body. Studies show that shame, negative body image, and feeling disconnected from your body play big roles in ongoing symptoms. Even without a diagnosis, many trauma survivors feel unsafe in their bodies or wish they could change their appearance to feel safer.
In daily life, this can look like always feeling unhappy with your body, comparing yourself to others, or feeling uncomfortable in your own skin. Some people cope by tuning out physical feelings—barely noticing hunger, fullness, tiredness, or pain—and describe feeling “numb” or “not really here.” Others avoid mirrors, touch, or certain clothes because noticing their body feels upsetting or unsafe. Research shows that trauma involving other people or the body is especially linked to body image problems, and these issues can last long after the trauma.
Addressing body image in trauma therapy is not just about liking how you look. It is about slowly rebuilding a sense of safety, presence, and control in your body. Trauma-informed, attachment-focused, and mind–body approaches can help you reconnect with your body at a pace that feels right for you, while respecting how your body has helped you get through tough times.
A Trauma-Informed, Client-Centered Approach
Online trauma therapy that is trauma-informed and client-centered focuses on safety, working together, and helping you feel empowered. The goal is not to make you relive your hardest memories, but to help your mind and body learn that you can feel safer and more stable now.
Approaches may include:
Trauma-informed CBT to explore the connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors while honoring your history and current capacity.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) to process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional charge, using bilateral stimulation like eye movements to help the brain rewire stuck trauma responses safely and effectively.
Nervous system regulation and grounding, using breath, movement, sensory tools, and present-moment awareness to gently shift out of fight, flight, or freeze.
Mind–body awareness to help you notice what is happening internally and respond with more compassion and choice.
Strengths-based and relational work that centers your resilience, values, and lived experience rather than pathologizing you.
In therapy, we go at your pace, focus on what matters most to you, and respect your unique story and ways of coping.
Who Benefits from Online Trauma Therapy?
Online trauma therapy helps Massachusetts adults (18+) facing barriers like few trauma-informed or EMDR counselors nearby, scheduling problems, or caregiving. It also helps if you live in rural areas with long drives or cities with traffic that makes in-person sessions hard. Virtual care fits your life, offering privacy, flexibility, and steady support without the stress of commuting.
Online therapy may be a good fit if you:
Feel stuck in survival mode and notice patterns of anxiety, depression, or burnout that do not resolve with “self-help” alone.
Experience chronic stress, illness, or complex comorbidities, and want a space where both your emotional and physical experiences are taken seriously.
Have a complicated relationship with food or body image and are seeking trauma-informed care rather than a purely behavioral approach.
Want therapy that is flexible, private, and accessible, without commute time or sitting in a waiting room.
Why Choose Online Trauma Therapy with Anne McGuire
Working with a licensed trauma therapist in Massachusetts, who understands complex, overlapping issues, can help make things less confusing and more manageable.
Key aspects of care include:
Receive licensed therapy in Massachusetts for trauma and complex comorbidities. These may include anxiety, depression, chronic illness, and disordered eating.
Sessions are fully online and remote, offering flexibility and privacy. This often improves follow-through and consistency.
Warm, relational, non-judgmental care, with experience supporting high-functioning adults who appear “fine” on the outside but feel overwhelmed on the inside.
A collaborative process that honors your resilience while supporting meaningful, sustainable change in how you feel and live day to day.
Anne McGuire, LMHC, is a trauma-focused therapist specializing in EMDR and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). She supports adults who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves after trauma or major life transitions. Anne helps clients reconnect with their values, rebuild a sense of self, and move toward lives rooted in confidence, clarity, and authentic ease. She provides compassionate, trauma-informed therapy to residents throughout Massachusetts.
