ABSTRACT
Many people who are anxious or depressed feel out of contact with their bodies. When we become frightened, anxious, depressed, or distressed, we contract emotionally and also we contract physically. We shrink a little and tighten up. When we are feeling depressed, our heads drop and our chest area becomes more concave: we slouch a bit. We may not make proper eye contact. We will probably walk a bit more slowly, or do less physically. These contractions, although fairly minor, can accumulate, especially over time, and stop the healthy flow of pleasure, excitation, and feeling within our bodies. We then start to feel out-of-touch with ourselves, and also with others. Our ability to communicate with other people and to express our emotions is decreased. These types of physical reaction can actually enhance our depressive symptoms.
