Trauma & The Body's Response
What is Trauma?
Trauma is defined as an unpleasant or difficult experience that can cause emotional and/or mental difficulties (Merriam-Webster, 2015). This is a broad definition of trauma, as any actual or perceived event can cause trauma in our lives. Events such as hurtful words, broken relationships, life-altering circumstances, abuse, illness, war, and any other unpleasant event that causes emotional and mental difficulties. What does this mean? Most everyone has experienced trauma to a certain extent. This post will help you understand how the human body automatically responds to trauma and how to heal from trauma.
The Body’s Response to Trauma
The human body recognizes the harmful effects of trauma and makes attempts to protect self and maintain balance. Our bodies produce chemicals that naturally either alert us to potential danger or allow us to calm down and regulate our bodies. When we perceive a threat, real or imagined, our nerves heighten and cause us to either fight or flee, and in extreme circumstances, freeze. If the perceived threat continues, our bodies constantly operate from a fight or flee state. When in this state, the heightened nerves affect our ability to think clearly, reason and control impulses. At this point, it becomes very difficult for one to process through the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual affects of the trauma. In order to process the trauma and regain control over the perceived or real threat, the brain and body work overtime in an attempt to integrate the memories and flashbacks of the trauma. This is our body’s attempt to heal from the damage.
Healing from Trauma
How does one heal from trauma? Therapy is a wonderful option to process through and heal from the complex affects of trauma. It is important to find the right emotional, mental and spiritual support. Research shows a strong therapeutic relationship is the most important factor for positive outcomes of treatment (Gentry, 2014). Once this relationship is in place, survivors of trauma learn how to relax their bodies in the midst of perceived threat. When the body is relaxed, the brain is able to function at a high level with proper reasoning, logic and agility versus a heightened state, which diminishes one’s ability to think clearly and control impulses. Finally, trauma survivors construct a narrative of the traumatic experiences with the help of a therapist. When a trauma survivor is able to narrate the traumatic experience in a relaxed state the symptoms (flashbacks, nightmares, anxiety, fear) of trauma diminish. This is one among many therapeutic approaches for dealing with trauma. There is hope for anyone who has suffered from a traumatic experience. Healing is possible!
Cassie Carrigan, MA, LPC, NCC
Counselor at Mayfield Counseling
www.mayfieldcounseling.com
REFERENCES:
Gentry, Eric. (2014). The 10 core competencies of trauma, PTSD, grief and loss. Eau Claire, WI: PESI, Inc.
Merriam-Webster, Incorporate. (2015). Dictionary-trauma. Retrieved June 1, 2015, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trauma