"Is it better to have the skeleton inside or outside the body?
When the skeleton is outside — as in the case of insects — it forms a protective armour. The flesh is safe from external dangers, but becomes flabby and almost liquid. And when something sharp manages to pass despite the strong shell, the damage is irreversible.
When the skeleton forms only a thin, rigid bar inside the mass — as in the case of mammals — the pulsating flesh is exposed to all aggressions. Injuries are multiple and permanent. But indeed, this apparent weakness forces muscles to harden and fibers to resist. The flesh evolves.
I have seen humans who had forged "intellectual" shells with their minds, protecting them from annoyances. They looked stronger than average. They would say "I don't care" and laugh about everything. But when an irritant managed to pass through their shield, the damage was terrible.
I have seen humans suffer from the slightest annoyance, the slightest touch, but their minds did not shut down, they remained sensitive to everything and learned from each aggression."
— Edmond Wells, Encyclopedia of Relative and Absolute Knowledge
Because our body is a living, breathing organism, it responds to situations physically : emotions are physical feelings caused by hormones, enzymes and neurotransmitters in the brain and body. Not expressing our feelings of stress, anxiety, anger... results in a saturation of chemical components in the body. This often manifests as physical symptoms : skin problems, digestive issues, chronic pain, and sleep disorders.
Here is a chart that can help you identify some of the ways in which your body is communicating with you.
