Trauma Part 1

Trauma: The emotional response to highly stressful event(s).

It can be categorised into 3 types:

1. Acute trauma- resulting from the single experience of or the witnessing of an accident, violence, sexual assault, abuse or a natural disaster.

2. Chronic trauma- the repeated and prolonged exposure to horrific events, such as war, child abuse, sexual abuse, bullying, domestic violence, etc.

3. Complex trauma- the exposure to multiple traumatic events during the course of ones life, typically of an invasive, interpersonal nature.

Trauma is often singularly associated with ‘big’ events such as war or sexual assault, but the truth is, trauma is not about the event at all: it’s about the impact these stressful events have on the nervous system.

Trauma occurs when we have no choice. We are unable to regulate our emotions during these overwhelmingly stressful experiences which results in us becoming entirely detached from ourselves and the present moment. A demonstration of the highly adaptive intelligence of the human body operating to protect us from the perceived threat.

When we are exposed to chronic trauma, the brain can remain in this heightened stress pattern. Remaining in this heightened state can change our emotional, behavioral and cognitive functioning. Permanent stress states of fight, flight or freeze, lock us in modes of anger, avoidance, depression or denial, keeping us isolated from others and most of all from ourselves.

It’s also important to keep in mind that hurt people hurt people. We can stop this chain of events by building our awareness, engaging in the continuous education of ourselves and those around us. Effective therapy helps the autonomic nervous system learn it is no longer required to be in a chronic state of defence. It can provide that felt sense of connection and security which can allow you to work through the pain when you feel ready.

You deserve to feel at home within your body and not at war with it. This is something you cannot do alone but no one else can do for you. You have so much power deep within. Your full, beautiful existence is a gift to this world.

#psychotherapy #trauma #counselling #ptsd

#cptsd