Trauma

“Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.”
Dr. Peter Levine

What exactly do you mean by trauma?

Trauma happens after an event that is too much, too fast, too soon, or goes on for too long for the nervous system to process. 

Traumatic symptoms are not caused by the event itself, but come from the inability of the body and the mind to process and organise the information from the event. 

This unprocessed survival energy is ‘all dressed up with nowhere to go’ and persists in our bodies leading to symptoms.

Most people have experienced at least one event in their life, which has been overwhelming for their nervous system.

Many people have experienced more than one event, and often multiple events, sometimes over prolonged periods.

What sort of events could cause trauma?

An overwhelming event could occur in any of the situations below. Your nervous system could also be overwhelmed in plenty of others. The way that your body responded to an event (not the category of the event) is the crucial factor.

Trauma usually falls into three categories; developmental, chronic, and shock trauma. These will often interrelate (for example, a shock event might have more of an impact if you have experienced developmental trauma). You might also be affected by intergenerational trauma - or trauma that has been ‘passed onto’ you from previous generations.

Developmental

Prenatal and perinatal trauma (eg trauma experienced in utero or during birth)
Adoption
Childhood experience of an overwhelming event (or events)
Childhood neglect or abuse, or an upbringing that made you feel unsafe

Chronic

Divorce, separation or loss of a loved one
Domestic abuse, or threat of violence
Bullying
Serious illness
War and conflict

Shock

Accidents and falls
Sudden loss of a loved one
Physical or sexual assault
Witnessing an act of violence
Experiencing or witnessing a traumatic birth
Medical and dental procedures, or anaesthesia
Natural disaster

If this overwhelm gets ‘stuck’ in the body, then it can make itself known as anxiety, depression, insomnia, undiagnosed physical issues or simply a feeling of not being quite in flow with life.

Unresolved trauma can leave you feeling empty and stuck.

Am I making a fuss about nothing?  Is it REALLY trauma?

Your body doesn't distinguish between an event that you BELIEVE is overwhelming, and something that actually HAS been overwhelming to your system.

  • “But it was 'just' a little fall”

  • “The car that nearly hit me didn't hit me, so nothing bad actually happened”

  • “What happened to me wasn’t as bad as what happened to others”

It can perhaps be helpful to think about 'little t trauma', and "big T Trauma'. Both little and big events can cause your nervous system to become overwhelmed, and either can cause symptoms if this survival stress gets stored in the body.

It's important to remember that peoples’ nervous systems can react to the same event differently. So whilst one person might be unaffected, another might be left with residual trauma. This can be to do with the individual perception of threat, and also how survival energy was mobilised in each person.

If you are experiencing anxiety, numbness, unexplained physical illness, or simply a sense that your life could be more expanded and open, then Somatic Experiencing® might be helpful.

Read more about Somatic Experiencing® HERE

Possible symptoms of unresolved traumatic stress

  • Anxiety (including chronic low level anxiety); Panic attacks; Phobias

  • Palpitations; Breathlessness; Dizziness

  • Involuntary tics, jerking or grimacing

  • Hypervigilence; Being over alert, or on guard

  • Flash backs and intrusive memories or images

  • Addictive behaviours

  • Extreme sensitivity to touch, light and/or sound

  • Insomnia; Poor sleep; Nightmares

  • Skin disorders

  • Avoidance behaviour (people, places etc)

  • Abrupt mood swings; Irritability

  • Physical, mental or emotional exhaustion; Chronic fatigue

  • Headaches, migraines, neck and back problems

  • Digestive or immune system issues

  • Muscle weakness, muscle pain e.g. fibromyalgia, myofasical pain

  • Feelings of helplessness and powerlessness; Lack of self worth

  • Amnesia; Forgetfulness; Mental ‘blankness’ or spaced-out feelings

  • Indecisiveness; Feelings of overwhelm

  • Overwhelming emotional responses such as shame, anger, depression

  • Menstrual problems

  • Attachment difficulties in nurturing, bonding or committing to others or receiving from others