Research linking trauma to physical disease

Emotional trauma doesn't just live in your mind; it physically reshapes your biology, driving autoimmunity, fatigue, mysterious pain flares, and raising long-term disease risk.

In this episode with Dr. Aimie Apigian, author of the runaway bestseller The Biology of Trauma, we uncover exactly how unprocessed emotional experiences (including the hidden epidemic of neglect) create a chronic freeze state in the nervous system that results in inflammation, toxin accumulation, and self-attack diseases. She explains why so many high-achieving women feel exhausted despite "doing everything right," and how perfectionism, shame, and buried insecurity are often trauma responses showing up as physical symptoms.

We also talk about practical phases of nervous-system healing, starting with safety, so you don't retraumatize yourself trying to "fix" everything at once. This episode is for anyone tired of deciphering lab numbers while the real root stays invisible.

"If we're holding onto our trauma, it literally creates the conditions in which it invites different toxins that then make us sick." - Dr. Aimie Apigian

In This Episode:

- Why trauma is the missing conversation in medicine

- The body holds onto unresolved experiences

- Emotional trauma and why neglect is the most common form

- Defining neglect: why "too little for too long" is dangerous

- Physical symptoms of emotional trauma

- Three phases of safe trauma healing

- How to heal from unconscious body-held trauma

- Where to find The Biology of Trauma book

Products & Resources Mentioned:

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About Dr. Aimie Apigian:

Dr. Aimie Apigian is a preventive & addiction medicine physician with master's degrees in biochemistry and public health. She's the national bestselling author of The Biology of Trauma and creator of nervous-system healing courses and a practitioner certification program that bridges functional medicine, attachment theory, and trauma resolution. Her work focuses on how the body physiologically stores fear and overwhelm from the past — and how releasing it changes health outcomes. Learn more at https://biologyoftrauma.com

Disclaimer

The Myers Detox Podcast was created and hosted by Dr. Wendy Myers. This podcast is for information purposes only. Statements and views expressed on this podcast are not medical advice. This podcast, including Wendy Myers and the producers, disclaims responsibility for any possible adverse effects from using the information contained herein. The opinions of guests are their own, and this podcast does not endorse or accept responsibility for statements made by guests. This podcast does not make any representations or warranties about guests' qualifications or credibility. Individuals on this podcast may have a direct or indirect financial interest in products or services referred to herein. If you think you have a medical problem, consult a licensed physician.