Exploring the Dual Nature of Trauma

Our mind may try to move on, but our body would never forget.

Let me tell you a story about a little boy who used to hide in his room when his parents were fighting. The sound of their screaming and yelling would make his heart race, and he would feel an overwhelming sense of fear wash over him. At such a young age, he couldn't fully comprehend what was happening, but he knew something was wrong as he asked himself ‘Could it be my fault? Will someone get hurt? Is there anything I can do to fix this?'.

These memories stayed with him, etched in his mind like a permanent marker. Even when his parents made up, and everything seemed to go back to normal, his brain's alarm system remained on high alert. The amygdala, the part of our brain that senses danger, continued to be triggered by even the slightest indication of distress or fear, whether at home, in school, university, or in relationships.

‘Why they are not responding to me? Did I do anything wrong?’ – he might wonder when his friends show him a cold face one day. He might experience an anxiety attack; rapid heartbeats, feelings of numbness, increased breathing… When his professors are having a loud conversation before class, while he is sitting in the hallway waiting for his turn to present his seminar paper.

These experiences are caused by the trauma that the little boy, who is a man now, has been through as a child. 

What do we mean by trauma? 

Trauma is a big word, and it's important to know what it means. Many of us have heard of the word trauma, and a lot of people use it to describe overwhelming events and incidents that changed their life; incidents that were out of their control and impacted their mental health, physical health, and overall wellbeing. It is when you experience something really scary or overwhelming that leaves a lasting impact on your mind and body. This can be war, abuse, life threatening accident or illness or severe rejection or breakup in a relationship.

It's essential to remember that traumatic experiences, even ones from our childhood, can have long-lasting effects on our minds and bodies. 

When we experience trauma, it can feel like we're stuck in a never-ending nightmare. It can make it tough to sleep, concentrate, or even feel safe. Sometimes, our bodies react to the trauma in ways we don't even realize, like getting headaches, feeling dizzy, or having a racing heart. We may think we have forgotten about the traumatic incident, but our bodies never truly forget. Researchers have looked into how the brain changes after experiencing trauma, especially when someone goes through long-term adversities like growing up with abusive parents or caregivers who are emotionally unstable. So, trauma can have long-lasting effects on our bodies and minds, even if we don't always realize it. The body does not forget and neither the mind.

When a trauma happens, our mind tries to process it, and the body tries to take it in- which is normal. For example, following an earthquake, we might feel stressed, alert, our concentration will be affected and our sleep would be altered as well. We might have nightmares, and vivid scary flashback, as if the earthquakes is happening again. Many people would also report feeling down, anxious and might start thinking that they are not safe anymore, and wonder ‘Could this happen again? What if I die?'. Experiencing trauma doesn't always lead to Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This latter comprises of a set of many symptoms including alterations in moods and cognitions, marked arousal and reactivity like irritable behaviors and recklessness, flashbacks and nightmares, depersonalization or derealization, avoidance… And should only be diagnosed by a professional. 

It can be challenging to make sense of traumatic events that happened, but it's crucial to seek help and support. With the right intervention, healing and recovery are possible. Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their lives, and it's never too late to take the first step towards healing.

Our bodies don’t forget. Yet, we survive and thrive.

Bessel van der Kolk, a famous psychologist, wrote a book called ‘The Body Keeps the Score’ that explains how trauma can leave a lasting imprint on our bodies and minds. Our brains and nervous systems can get stuck in 'fight or flight' mode, always on high alert and ready to protect us. This can make it tough to trust others and feel safe in the world around us.

Still, many trauma survivors were shown to grow and thrive after the incident. This positive change in the aftermath is known as Posttraumatic Growth (PTG), which has been studied extensively by researchers to understand the factors that lead to such positive transformative experience.

PTG is not just about coping and adjusting to life after trauma, but it's about thriving and exploring new pathways and goals in life. Warriors who undergo PTG may still experience stress, but they find ways to connect socially, spiritually, and emotionally, which helps them to grow and find meaning in their lives. There's no clear-cut answer as to why some people experience PTG while others don't, but researchers believe that factors such as personality traits, coping strategies, and spiritual beliefs can contribute to this growth. It's important to remember that everyone's journey is unique, and there's no right or wrong way to heal from trauma.

Take home message: 

Everyone's path to recovery is different, and it takes time and effort to heal. But with patience, kindness and the courage to persevere, individuals can overcome the effects of trauma and find a path towards a fulfilling life.

Yours truly,

Dana 

Kindness is not just a virtue, it's a way of life.