The Impact of Trauma

If you’re familiar with trauma work or have a social media algorithm feeding you therapy-speak then you’ve most likely heard the phrase “The body keeps the score”. And if you have personally experienced trauma you probably wish the body would stop keeping score. 

(If you have no idea what I’m talking about when I say that, keep reading to learn more.) 

Our bodies were designed to protect us– keep us safe and out of danger. So when we experience trauma, our bodies respond, not just in the moment but long after as well. After a traumatic experience, our nervous systems are altered to be on high alert for danger and begin to work overtime to try and prevent  it from ever happening again. 

This could explain why you might have noticed an ever-present feeling of being on edge or why your memories are fragmented with no clear beginning, middle, and end. This is a reasonable response. It makes sense–our bodies are designed to protect us so if you’re always prepared for the unexpected and can’t remember the worst thing(s) that ever happened to you, then you’re safe… Right? 

If only it were that simple. Sometimes these adaptive responses are helpful until they’re not. This blog post explores the ways trauma impacts our bodies and what you can do to manage these symptoms. 

How Trauma Impacts the Brain

Trauma impacts the brain by disrupting how threat, memory, and emotional regulation systems function. 

The amygdala is the part of the brain responsible for monitoring threats and activating the automatic fight, flight, freeze, or fawn response to keep us safe. This is an incredibly helpful system we have built into our bodies. 

However, deficits in this area can activate a heightened nervous system resulting in an increased sensitivity to stimuli and a tendency to perceive non-threatening situations as threatening. It’s like the smoke detector is going off and there’s no smoke. It may also impact an individual’s ability to concentrate, make decisions, and regulate their emotions. 

How Trauma Impacts Memory

The hippocampus is the part of the brain that organizes and stores memories. Trauma affects the hippocampus by altering its size and impacting its ability to contextualize memories. Remember how our bodies are designed to protect us? 

Trauma impairs explicit memory functions leaving survivors with fragmented memories. This is because traumatic memories are stored differently due to the intense fear or distress occurring when they form. There is often no beginning, middle, and end. Memories appear in the form of fragmented pieces, invasive flashbacks or with wide gaps in the narrative. 

These implicit memories are often triggered by stimuli associated with the traumatic event. A trigger is any sensory reminder of the traumatic event. For example, someone who has experienced gun-related trauma may be triggered by the sound of fireworks going off. Triggers can be activated by any resemblance of any aspect of the traumatic event, regardless of how small the stimulus may be.

How Trauma Impacts the Body

Trauma impacts the body by trapping it in a prolonged state of alertness. This puts the body in a chronic state of stress. When our bodies are stressed, they release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. This is our bodies natural response to stress however, if we are in a constant state of stress these hormones are also constantly releasing. When we are constantly flooded with these hormones, it can lead to a multitude of symptoms.

Some common physical experiences of trauma survivors include:

• Muscle tension

• Fatigue

• Headaches/Migraines

• Stomach issues

• Inflammation

• Numbness

In more severe situations, physical symptoms can escalate into chronic pain or even autoimmune diseases. 

Traumatic experiences rewire our brain and have lasting impact on our ability to function and feel safe. It impacts our sense of self, the way we interact with others, and how we engage with the world. 

Addressing trauma often begins with learning to notice the physical sensations you are experiencing in your body, learning strategies to regulate your nervous system, getting to know the parts of yourself showing up to protect you from perceived danger and finding ways to release them from this burden and extend compassion to them for their efforts. 

If you’re interested in starting your journey toward healing from trauma, reach out to schedule a free 15 minute phone consultation!