Understanding How Your Body Remembers Trauma

Many people assume that trauma solely affects your mental health, not your physical health. But trauma can have a significant, detrimental impact on both your mind and body. This is because your brain and body can hold on to the memory of trauma long after the event itself has passed. The phenomenon makes you feel as though you’re continuously reliving your trauma.

Trauma can change key structures in your brain. This can influence your nervous system and cause frustrating physical symptoms. In some people, this can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). An individual who is struggling with physical symptoms of trauma may not even realize that a past event is at the root of these issues. Here’s how your body remembers trauma and how you can begin the healing process.

How Trauma Affects the Amygdala

When you live through a traumatic event, your amygdala becomes activated. This part of your brain instructs your body to protect itself when you’re facing a threat, releasing hormones like cortisol and adrenaline that give you short-term energy for survival purposes. But even after the danger has passed, your amygdala might continuously send signals to your body that you’re still not safe. Therefore, you remain in a state of chronic stress.

Fight, Flight, or Freeze Response

People can react differently to traumatic situations. Depending on the threat, your brain and body might set off a fight, flight, or freeze response. This could involve physically fighting back against the threat, running away from the situation, or freezing in place to avoid further danger or remain unnoticed.

If you never have the opportunity to process and address your trauma, you could be trapped in this cycle, even when you’re perfectly safe. You might find yourself reacting strongly to triggers that remind you of your trauma, making it hard to simply navigate your daily life.

Diminished Distress Tolerance

“Distress tolerance” refers to your ability to handle stress while staying calm. People who have survived trauma often find their distress tolerance shrinks. A minor inconvenience can feel like an emergency. You might have trouble keeping up with basic responsibilities at work, school, or in your own home. This is because your body and brain interpret these obligations as signs that you might be in danger again. You’re already on high alert at all times. Living with ongoing stress means you don’t feel like you can take on obligations that only add more stress to your plate.

Physical Symptoms

Holding on to trauma can lead to physical symptoms, like headaches, digestive troubles, muscle aches and pains, and even frequent minor illnesses such as colds or coughs. When you’re stressed, you’re often physically tense. This can lead to headaches and physical discomfort. Furthermore, stress can weaken your immune system and affect your digestive system. Sometimes, the physical symptoms of trauma can be so intense that you might see your doctor thinking that something is wrong. Yet you walk away from your appointment without answers.

Healing Your Body and Mind After Trauma

Healing from trauma doesn’t just involve addressing the mental health aspects. You’ll also need to honor your body and process the physical sensations that you experience due to trauma. A trauma counselor can pull from different therapeutic approaches for a holistic path to healing. In time, you’ll be able to shift your thought patterns and find relief from the physical symptoms of trauma. You can integrate what you’ve learned without holding on to trauma.

–

Trauma therapy can help you process the emotional and physical impact of trauma. If you’re ready to explore counseling, we invite you to reach out to our practice to schedule an in-person or virtual session.