Trauma is an emotional response caused by a stressful or frightening experience, such as an accident, or physical or sexual abuse. Most mental illnesses, or any other diseases of the mind and body, are created and resolved by the thoughts we use to describe our experiences.
Trauma, if ignored, can cause individuals to believe they have a mental illness, but not all trauma events are stored within the brain or create prolonged trauma. A trauma memory is captured by the amygdala, a part of the brain that retrieves memory and is felt through the five senses. Trauma memories are projected through the prefrontal lobe's 'judging' filters, which upon receiving images, start a subconscious programme that sends out fight or flight messages.
Talking about our trauma can re-traumatise us and keep us stuck in looping
A trauma memory can be activated by sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. For example, the sound of a car brake screeching triggers an old trauma memory from a car crash. Hearing the sound sends information to the amygdala to retrieve the fragments from the original trauma event. This information is sent to the prefrontal lobe, where the trauma is felt all over again in its entirety. Upon the re-enaction of the trauma, the brain state goes into high alert and affects the cognitive abilities in the same way as the original trauma was felt.
Trauma affects how we think; a trigger event can impact the mind’s clarity and throw us into disarray. When experiencing a trauma, the brain can feel muddled and fearful, leading to reactive or reflexive behaviour. When in fear, our brain state struggles to perform simple tasks and loses the ability to be rational, throwing a traumatised person into a fight or flight response all over again, and with that, an inability to handle the situation through calm and reason.
Trauma can lead to dissociative behaviour. A traumatised person may remove themselves from reality to cope with a traumatic memory. Any traumatic event, from a personal tragedy to a global crisis, can take an emotional toll and cause traumatic stress for trauma sufferers.
When we experience a traumatic event it is normal to feel emotions of shock, confusion, fear or overwhelm, sometimes all at the same time. Emotions can be exacerbated by graphic images on the news, TV shows, loud sounds, social media and movies. Repeat exposure can overwhelm the nervous system and compound traumatic stress within the body.
Trauma can cause us to feel helpless and vulnerable. You may feel physically or emotionally drained, overcome with grief, or find it difficult to focus, sleep, or control your temper, all of which are normal responses to abnormal events.
Physical symptoms of trauma fade eventually, but the trauma does not leave the body completely, unless healed, as the brain hangs on to the memory, ready to roll it out again whenever the five senses are triggered by an external reminder.
Trauma affects our emotions and can create numbness or disconnect. It can affect sleeping patterns, from night tremors to insomnia or nightmares. We can experience pain in our body from unexpressed or trapped energy lodged within our field. If trauma symptoms don’t fade over time, it could be a sign your nervous system is stuck or you may be experiencing PTSD, delayed psychological shock from an event.
We all react differently to trauma. Don’t ignore your feelings as it will only slow your recovery. It may feel better to avoid experiencing your emotions, but they exist whether you’re paying attention to them or not. Emotions provide us with clues to our healing; Intense feelings will pass if you allow yourself to feel what you feel.
Avoid replaying the traumatic event. Repetitious thinking can overwhelm your nervous system and trauma can become embedded within the system the more you focus on it. Instead, focus on routine and find comfort in the familiar. After any traumatic event, getting back to a routine will be a positive step you can take toward healing. Put major life decisions on hold. If possible, wait until life has settled down and you’re able to think clearly.
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