Expert reveals why your body falls sick after leaving a toxic environment for a safe one

You have a spinning headache. It hurts. You tell yourself, “Just a nap will do,” and maybe some painkillers.

It's a new day. You've been sleeping for more than eight hours but now you're waking up with a 'devilish' headache. Again.

The painkillers. A good night's sleep. And yet, the headache persists.

You're becoming worried. Googling won't cut it; you don't need alarmist answers.

Your mind travels to this day three years ago; you were so close to losing your mind and your body, literally.

The piercing pain in your chest at that moment had you nearly passing out. Oh wait. No. You were fine. You couldn't feel any pain. The sensation in your head right now was not your problem then: you just wanted to get out as quickly as possible.

Your mind was focused on survival.

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And that's what you remember: that your mind was too exhausted from making it through each day to even fully experience physical pain.

The real question is: why does this happen? Why do toxic and unsafe environments not enable falling ill? And why do physical symptoms only start to show up when the coast is clear?

"For some people, their body starts breaking down when they get to a safe space because it finally can," says Dr. Raquel Martin, licensed clinical psychologist, professor, scientist, and podcast host.

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When you’re in a toxic environment (be it an abusive relationship, a toxic job, or even a turbulent family setting), your body is running on emergency fuel.

Your stress response floods your system with cortisol and adrenaline, and those chemicals keep you hyper-alert, sharp, and laser-focused on survival.

“When you’re in survival mode, your body is going to be flooded with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. That stress response keeps you focused on staying alive, not healing,” Dr. Martin explains.

Now here’s the thing: the body is a great adapter. It suppresses what feels unnecessary in the moment.

“Inflammation, chronic pain, gut issues — even immune dysfunction — can be pushed down,” she says. “But once your brain finally gets the message, like hey, we’re safe now, all of those symptoms have room to come to the surface.”

That’s why you didn’t collapse during the chaos but suddenly can’t get out of bed once you’re free.

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It does sound a bit cruel, right?

You’ve finally escaped, only for your body to betray you with headaches, fevers, exhaustion, gut flare-ups. But it’s not betrayal; it's just biology.

“It’s not weakness, it’s biology. Your body has finally reached a place where it thinks you can focus on healing,” Dr. Martin says.

Your nervous system switches gears, from fight-or-flight to rest-and-digest. That transition feels like a breakdown, but it’s actually the beginning of repair.

Think of it like soldiers in battle. They keep going with wounds, dehydration, and hunger because stopping means death. But back home, when safety returns, their bodies give out. Your headaches, body aches, and exhaustion are the civilian version of that soldier’s collapse.

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Yes, this crash is frustrating. You want to celebrate freedom, not crawl under the covers.

But Dr. Martin insists that this stage is a sign of adaptation, not failure.

“Healing isn’t linear. Your body isn’t broken; it was protecting you. This part you’re experiencing is simply adaptation and release,” she explains.

And in that adaptation comes an invitation: reclaiming your right to rest. Listening to your body without guilt. Allowing yourself to nap, yes, but also allowing yourself to set boundaries around what drains you.

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So what do you do when you’re suddenly face-to-face with all the symptoms you thought you’d escaped?

Dr. Martin shares the same advice she gives her clients:

“Track your symptoms. The patterns can help both you and your doctor understand what your body is doing,” she says.

Gentle regulation of the nervous system is key: stretching, grounding exercises, even five-minute walks with calming music.

Surround yourself with reminders of safety: “Put a Post-it around your house that says, ‘I am safe. My body is just catching up,’” she suggests.

And importantly, rest goes beyond just sleep.

“Catching up on rest might mean naps, but it might also mean boundaries — social boundaries, especially, when people bring you stressful situations. It can also mean mental rest, physical rest, social rest. Those matter too,” Dr. Martin explains.

For her, that includes limiting how much sad content she consumes: “I don’t watch many sad movies, I don’t read many sad books, and I haven’t watched Law & Order: SVU since starting my PhD program,” she admits. “I have an amazing job, but sometimes it’s really hard and really sad. So I don’t add more sadness unnecessarily.”

That’s the point: rest is not only about sleeping longer but also about protecting what enters your body and mind while you heal.

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No one is saying it's a setback if you've left a toxic space only to fall sick in your newfound freedom.

It is really just your body exhaling after years of holding its breath.

It’s your immune system, your nervous system, your very cells finally raising their hand and saying, “Now it’s our turn.”

The headaches, the exhaustion, the gut issues: they’re not signs of weakness. They’re signs of safety.

Your body is not betraying you.

It’s finally breathing. Finally talking to you. And now? You are in a place where you can truly listen.

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