Understanding Trauma, Part 2
What is trauma? In our previous blog about collective trauma, we shared that “trauma occurs when we experience something (one time or on-going) that is beyond our ability to comprehend, cope with or emotionally manage.”
Some of my favorite educational quotes about trauma:
"Trauma is a psychic wound that hardens you psychologically that then interferes with your ability to grow and develop. It pains you and now you're acting out of pain. It induces fear and now you're acting out of fear. Trauma is not what happens to you, it's what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you.” - Gabor Maté
“Trauma happens to everyone, but the way you respond to it determines its impact on your brain and body.” - Bessel van der Kolk
“Traumatic experiences shake the foundations of our beliefs about safety, and shatter out assumptions of trust.” - Baldwin, David, PhD., Primitive Mechanisms of Trauma Response: An Evolutionary Perspective on Trauma-related Disorders, 2013
When we experience trauma, our beliefs and assumptions can get rattled. We might question ourselves, others, the systems and agencies around us. It can be an acute, one time event such as a natural disaster, car accident, specific crime against us, or it can be chronic trauma such as ongoing abuse or neglect, either interpersonal or environmental in nature. As a result of a traumatic experience, our bodies store this psychological disruption. In essence, the body remembers the trauma by storing the unresolved emotions and initial reactions to the trauma. This then has the power to impact our central nervous system. The good news is this can be changed back after trauma has been experienced (more on that below).
The role of the central nervous system
The central nervous system (CNS) controls our unconscious functions like breathing, blinking, heart rate and visceral responses to threats. There are 2 main parts:
The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) - this helps to mobilize when we experience a threat (perceived or actual), this is our fight/flight/fawn responses. The main goal of the SNS is to keep us safe. When this part is activated, we are in a state of hyperarousal. When this is activated, especially for prolonged periods of time, some functions of our body reduce or cease to function properly; these include our digestive systems, immune system, reproductive system, changes in breathing, heart rate, etc.
The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) - this part helps us to feel calm, present and able to manage mild-moderate stress. This part of the CNS allows our bodies to function properly; when our bodies are able to “rest and digest.” Our system knows we are safe and can operate using energy to function fully.
The impact of trauma is individual, unique and is not dependent on the event or events that occurred. Remember, as the quote from Bessel van der Kolk says above, it is “the way you respond to it determines its impact on your brain and body.” This is the response psychologically and within the central nervous system. People can be in the same car accident and each walk away with different impacts to their psychological and neurological systems. There is not one that is more right or more wrong, they are different based on several factors. Fight is not better than flight; they are different reactions from your CNS designed to protect you. It is just the body's natural reaction to protect; it’s our survival instinct. The key is not to judge your reactions to an event or events, but to be honest about what you are thinking and feeling.
Yoga, stretching, breath-work, and mindfulness are all ways you can take care of your body.
When the trauma has ended, sometimes our bodies and the CNS needs help regulating back to a calm state like before the trauma experience. Or sometimes the CNS activates when a similar (or a perceived to be similar) threat is near. This is where we can start to identify triggers and other symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Our bodies need to process through the trauma and heal the CNS in a safe environment with professional help.
How to heal? What to do when you identify trauma in your life.
Find safety! This can be in your environment, in relationships. Find a safe therapist you can talk to about the trauma.
Know that you are not alone! Individual trauma does not require you to suffer alone. In fact, the opposite is true, we hear through connection and sharing our experiences with others.
Get connected! Reach out to friends and family. Healthy social connection is vital for our mental health and healing trauma.
Seek professional help. There are wonderful resources available to help you process through trauma. Find a licensed therapist who can walk you through healing with coping skills, understanding and integration of your experience.
Connect to your body and listen to what it is telling you. Trauma is stored in the body. It is a psychological experience that is informed by your nervous system. Are you holding tension anywhere in your body? Has your appetite or sleep changed? “Mindfulness not only makes it possible to survey our internal landscape with compassion and curiosity but can also actively steer us in the right direction for self-care.” - Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
Find moments of peace and joy. Notice the small moments you feel safe, calm, connected to yourself and others.
Remember, it is a process. Give yourself time to heal. Be kind to yourself in the process.
You don’t have to find healing alone. If you need someone to help you, our licensed counselors are here for you. We’re accepting clients in the Clarksville, TN/Hopkinsville, KY area.
