What is the impact of trauma on my health?
Trauma can have a lasting impact on our health, both mental and physical. Polyvagal theory helps explain the complex response that is going on in the body when we have been traumatised.
We may be quite familiar with the idea of fight or flight, and that in the moment we can feel stressed and anxious. But often people don’t realise that trauma can manifest as physical symptoms, so I’ll explore that a little later on, too.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is a complex psychological and emotional response to distressing or life-threatening events. It can arise from a single event, such as an accident or assault, or from prolonged exposure to stress, such as abuse or neglect. Or even what we might call micro-traumas or aggressions, resulting from seemingly small insults. Being ignored or isolated can cause a trauma response in the body as well.
Essentially, complex trauma can arise whenever we feel threatened. And the earlier this kind of situation occurs in our life, along with how long the situation went on for, can make the sensations and responses to that trauma more profound.
Trauma impacts both the mind and body, often leading to symptoms like anxiety, depression, dissociation, and physical pain.
All of us experience trauma differently, and our reactions can vary widely based on personal history, what support systems we have in place, and how we generally cope under pressure and strain. The effects of trauma can be immediate or unfold over time, potentially leading to long-term health issues if not addressed.
Why It’s Important to Look Closely at Trauma
What I mean by this is really understanding the life events and challenges you’ve experienced.
Understanding trauma is essential for healing, as it allows you to process your experiences, re-establish a sense of safety, and regain control over your life. But it can be deeply uncomfortable, and humans really don’t like those sensations of discomfort.
This is why we can end up in avoidant type cycles. Or turning to stimulants or comforting activities to try and distract us from this discomfort. But ultimately, while this may help in the short term, long term we aren’t actually recovering. We are just kind of living in suspense. A bit like if we fractured our wrist, but didn’t set it right, and just slapped on a cast. It would heal, but it wouldn’t heal fully or properly. Leaving us with pain and suffering.
Therapeutic approaches, particularly somatic therapies, focus on the connection between the mind and body. This helps you to reconnect, process your emotions, and work through the trauma in a supportive environment.
How Trauma Reveals Itself
Trauma has a profound impact on the body, manifesting in various physical and physiological ways. When you experience trauma, whether it be emotional, psychological, or physical, the body enters a state of heightened arousal, activating the sympathetic or parasympathetic autonomic nervous systems. This ‘fight or flight’, or ‘shut down’ response can lead to several immediate and long-term changes.
In the short term, a frightening situation causes a release of stress hormones adrenaline and cortisol. This is a completely normal and unconscious response. Think of when something startles you. You can feel leading your increased heart rate, and perhaps even a more rapid breathing pattern. You may also notice that your muscles tense up. These physical responses are part of the body's natural defence mechanism, preparing you to react to perceived threats by either fighting or running away.
If a situation continues to feel frightening, the threat hasn’t moved away, or is happens repeatedly over a long period of time, the body can also go into the parasympathetic response of shut down or fawning. This is also called the Dorsal Vagal response. You essentially become immobilised, because the body has determined that it is safer for you to pretend to be dead or to appease the situation until it goes away.
Over time, however, the persistent activation of these autonomic responses can lead to chronic health issues.
The body can become stuck in a state of fight-flight hypervigilance, This causes ongoing anxiety, panic attacks, and difficulty in relaxing because our cortisol levels aren’t returning to a normal level. Additionally, unresolved trauma can contribute to conditions such as chronic pain, fatigue, and digestive issues, as the body's systems remain in a state of stress.
Chronic shutdown can feel like part of you isn’t present. You aren’t fully living your life. You may lose interest in things you once loved. Become unable to leave the house. Or just want to bingewatch your favourite programmes or scroll social media.
Somatic experiences, or the bodily sensations we experience that are associated with trauma, are also critical to understanding these impacts. You may find yourself experiencing sensations like tightness, numbness, or pain in specific areas of the body. Like a tight, painful chest when we are panicking. Or tingling in your fingertips.
These somatic symptoms are actually pretty distressing in their own right, making us feel like we are dying, having a heart attack, or there is something deeply wrong with us. We can then end up avoiding the situations that triggered these sensations. Further reducing the scope of our world.
Trauma can also disrupt the natural communication between the mind and body. This disconnection may lead to difficulties in self-regulation, affecting sleep patterns, appetite, and our emotions. We can end up feeling ruled by our emotions. Being snappy and reactive to our loved ones, almost like we are being controlled by someone else. By understanding the role of the nervous system in trauma, it becomes clearer how essential it is to approach healing in a holistic way.
Therapeutic practices that incorporate somatic approaches can be immensely beneficial. By reconnecting you with your body and exploring these sensations, it is possible to facilitate a process of healing that addresses both the psychological and physical dimensions of trauma.
hereHealing the mind requires a deep understanding and awareness of the body’s responses, ultimately supporting a more integrated and resilient state of being. You can find out about working with me in therapy here.
Polyvagal Theory Explained
Polyvagal theory, developed by Stephen Porges, states that our autonomic nervous system plays a crucial role in how we interact with the world and respond to stress. At its core, the theory highlights three branches of the vagus nerve: the ventral vagal system, the sympathetic nervous system, and the dorsal vagal system.
Ventral Vagal System: This branch promotes social engagement and feelings of safety. It is activated in states of calm and connection, allowing for healthy communication, emotional expression, and social interactions. When the ventral vagal system is functioning optimally, individuals can engage positively with others, feel a sense of resilience, and experience joy in relationships.
Sympathetic Nervous System: This system is responsible for the ‘fight or flight’ response. When faced with perceived threats or challenges, the sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for action by increasing heart rate, breathing rate, and moving blood away from our digestive system to our heart, lungs, and limbs. While this response can be beneficial in acute stress situations, chronic activation can lead to anxiety and digestive issues.
Dorsal Vagal System: This system governs the ‘shut down’ response, often associated with feelings of dissociation and being ‘beside yourself’. In moments of overwhelming stress or traumatic experiences, the dorsal vagal system can take over, leading to a sense of helplessness and withdrawal. This response can serve as a protective mechanism, but when it becomes habitual, it can hinder personal growth and healing.
Understanding polyvagal theory is helpful in somatic approaches to therapy and coaching. By recognising how these systems influence behaviour and emotional responses, you can work towards a more balanced state. When you learn to regulate your autonomic nervous system through mindful awareness, movement practices, and therapeutic techniques, you can heal from trauma and chronic anxiety more effectively.
I always like to say that we are aiming for flexibility in the nervous system, not just regulation. It isn’t normal for any mammal to be in a state of constant anything. The aim isn’t to always be calm. The aim is to be able to move freely through the very normal and subconscious autonomic states as needed, returning to a centred, ventral vagal state when threats have passed.
Bringing Polyvagal Theory and Somatics Together
Incorporating somatic practices that align with polyvagal theory encourages us to cultivate a greater sense of safety within our bodies. As you develop awareness of your physical sensations, emotional triggers, and nervous system responses, this equips you with amazing tools for self-regulation, psychological flexibility and empowerment.
This integration of mind and body is key to living a life of resilience and restoring a sense of agency, ultimately leading to enduring healing and wellbeing. Which is rather beautiful don’t you think?
Trauma can significantly impact mental health, affecting the way you think, feel, and behave. But healing trauma through a deep understanding and application of polyvagal theory through somatic exercises, sets you free.
In summary…
When we experience trauma, the body's natural response is to enter a state of hyperarousal, where the nervous system becomes sensitised. This heightened state can lead to a range of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Trauma can lead to intrusive thoughts and memories, which can trigger strong emotional reactions. These memories are often stored in the body, making them difficult to process cognitively alone. As a result, you may experience physical symptoms such as tension, fatigue, or chronic pain, further complicating their mental health.
Trauma can disrupt your sense of safety and trust, leading to difficulty in forming and maintaining relationships. It is natural to want to isolate yourself, avoiding social situations that remind you of the trauma or bring up sensations in your body that are uncomfortable, which in turn can exacerbate feelings of loneliness and despair.
The impact of trauma on mental health is not always immediate. Long-term consequences may include persistent anxiety, depressive symptoms, and increased vulnerability to future stressors.
This underscores the importance of addressing trauma holistically, integrating somatic approaches that focus on the mind-body connection to facilitate healing and promote overall wellbeing.
By understanding how trauma manifests in both the mind and body, you can begin to process your experiences and work towards healing. We can do this through a combination of understanding that you are more than your trauma and responses. That although things are hard now, things can get better. That our parts have worked hard to protect us, and that witnessing their work can help them unburden. And by setting values-based actions we can take small steps forwards to a more balanced and nourishing life.
If you are interested in working with me, drop me an email to book a free consultation at claire@harmonyhealingservices.co.uk
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