I am 19, and my mother died four months ago after a hard battle with breast cancer. My parents are divorced, so my brother and I now have much more responsibility around the house, monetarily, etc. Thus, I am under a considerable amount of emotional strain and additional stresses. Every time I turn around, I have another health problem. I have horrible stomach pains, I get bad headaches, and I often feel faint and dizzy. I'm always tired but have trouble sleeping, and I recently had what I have been told is an anxiety attack. I just want to feel normal. I am seeing a therapist. Could all of these problems be stress-related, or should I keep running to doctors in the little free time I have?

-- Julie

My condolences to you on the loss of your mother. It sounds as though the strain of her illness and death is being exacerbated by the extra responsibilities and financial struggles you are now experiencing.

Yes, the symptoms you reported -- stomach pains, headaches, faintness, dizziness, fatigue, sleep disturbance and an anxiety attack -- could be caused by stress and conflict. When we override or ignore our emotional and physical needs in order to accomplish tasks, the disconnected drives often manifest physically. This process can be understood biologically as related to the effects of chemicals manufactured by the body in response to stress -- adrenalin, cortisol, etc. From a psychological perspective, it's as though the body is trying to let us know we're overwhelmed and need to heal.

When I was in graduate school in the 1980s, I was told that 60 percent of visits to internists were for physical symptoms that had psychological causes and remedies -- stress, depression, anxiety, etc. I suspect the number is even higher now.

From your description of your situation, I'm assuming that you've been medically evaluated and your physicians have determined there is no physical condition causing your symptoms. If so, that's good news, because there are things you can do to alleviate physical symptoms stemming from stress or emotional distress. Number one, of course, is to identify and address the psychological factors. Your therapist should be able to help you address what's going on with you and your body and increase your repertoire of stress management skills.

Other things you can do: Get regular exercise. Yoga can be extremely helpful for stress reduction, as can be Tai Chi and Qi Gong. I'm particularly fond of Judith Lasater's book on restorative yoga, Relax and Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times. ("Restorative" refers to the restoration, rather than depletion, of energy.) Decrease or eliminate caffeine and other stimulants. Meditation and relaxation exercises, such as deep breathing, can be beneficial. Nurture yourself as much as you can, whether by taking bubble baths, treating yourself to a good book or movie, listening to soothing music, or spending time with friends.

Massage by a licensed massage therapist is also an excellent treatment for stress. Your therapist may be able to refer you to an appropriate practitioner. If your city has a massage therapist training program, the training program's intern clinic may offer reduced-fee services by the massage-therapists-in-training.