How Trauma May Impact Your Body
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Trauma is more common than many people realize. While this is true, many people aren’t aware of how trauma impacts the body. Instead, you continue operating while reacting to your emotions.
In some situations, the physical reaction to trauma occurs without conscious awareness of what is driving your behavior. One of the most confusing aspects of trauma is trauma reactions. These are responses that occur without warning and that are commonly ignored.
After trauma, some react to what is going on inside of them. It is done without realizing that the response isn’t about what is happening now. Instead, you relive an experience that seems to be happening now.
Trauma Reactions Occur When They are Least Expected
In a traumatic experience, which is defined as an event that overtakes the nervous system, your brain and body will move into survival mode. At this point, your threat response system will be activated. The reaction does not happen in your conscious awareness. Your thinking brain is not part of the reaction or decision of how to react.
This means that there is no reasoning considered when deciding how to get out of a situation. Instead, the brain will activate one of four different threat responses to help you get away, reduce potential harm, or fight back.
In these situations, it is virtually impossible to access the logical brain. That’s a clear sign a trauma reaction has begun.
Reasons for Trauma Responses
Trauma response is a type of automatic reaction. The goal is to help you survive during a perceived life-threatening experience.
Four defenses can occur automatically during traumatic experiences. These include submit, fight, freeze, or flight. While most people are aware of fight and flight, the other two – submit or freeze – aren’t as well known.
Fight: A threat is detected that activates your fight instinct. It can show as protesting, physical pulling or pushing, kicking, hitting, or not moving. It may also show as arguing, defiance, rage, or anger.
Flight: The body is mobilized to quickly run or remove you from a dangerous situation.
Freeze: Inside, you are filled with adrenaline and energy; however, you cannot act. You may appear paralyzed, stuck, or extremely still.
Submit: This is an adaptive trauma response. This occurs when you engage with the person putting you in danger to help show them they aren’t a threat or to discourage them to cause harm.
Understanding the Impact of Trauma on Your Body
Trauma can affect the body in many ways. If you have experienced trauma and don’t fully understand these responses, then trauma therapy may be beneficial. With this, you can better understand yourself and why certain actions occur. While trauma responses are normal after trauma, they can also be problematic for some people. Learning to recognize and deal with these responses will help you deal with them in a positive manner and help you take control of your life back, which is important for any trauma survivor.
