The effects of trauma can last for weeks, months or years. This is particularly true if the trauma occurred in childhood when major growth in the brain was occurring. This is because trauma affects the way the brain develops.
The impact of trauma can be experienced throughout life, until it is able to be processed. Even then the memory will not necessarily fade, but the impact may.
TRAUMA IS AN UNWANTED FAMILY HEIRLOOM
It is useful to liken trauma to a family heirloom. Family heirlooms tend to be old and may be passed down through the generations. By the time you get them they are often very old, even considered antiques. These items are usually greatly loved sentimentally and valued for their memories.
Trauma can be passed down through the generations too. It may be passed down in the way you were treated growing up, in the way your family related to each other, in the way you were taught to see the world, even in the keeping of secrets within the family.
Unlike family heirlooms, trauma is not something that is valued or loved sentimentally. It is often not acknowledged. But it leaves one massive elephant in the room that is very hard to hide. Although people will try.
TRAUMA’S GREATEST WEAPON IS SHAME
Shame leads people to hide the trauma in the family. This makes it very hard to heal the trauma.
TRAUMA IS FELT THROUGH PHYSICAL SENSATIONS AS WELL AS EMOTIONS AND PERCEPTION
Trauma as it has been experienced by you leaves you with intense physical, perceptual and emotions reactions to things others may feel are nothing important or frightening. These things trigger memories of past experiences. Experiences that are related to the trauma you feel.
The intense physical, perceptual and emotional responses are hard to control because they are stored in part of your memory known as “implicit memory”. These are memories deeply embedded in your memory. Memories of things you are often not aware you have experienced. Memories you have no control over.
They are not stored in conscious and manageable memory. They are stored in subconscious and therefore unmanageable memory.
The constant reactivation of these memories ensure they remain at the top of your memories on a daily, even multiple times daily, basis.
SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA REACTIVATION
When these memories are reactivated by reminders, referred to as triggers, you are thrown into a fight/flight defence mode.
• You may feel hyperalert and hypervigilant.
• You may be aware of tension in your body.
• Your breath may feel shallow and you may be aware of your heart pounding.
• You may even have horrifying images come to mind, or thoughts warning you of danger.
• You may find yourself inexplicably afraid or angry.
• You may feel pain in parts of your body.
• You may feel isolated and alone.
• You may be aware of being anxious or feel others are against you and unsupportive.
• You may find yourself judging what is happening around you negatively.
• You may have a strong desire to isolate from others.
• You may feel frozen.
• You may find it difficult to say no to people.
• You may feel you have to please people.
• And many more experiences. The list of reactions is endless
TRAUMA SYMPTOMS ARE POORLY UNDERSTOOD
There is not much awareness of what constitutes a trauma symptom.
Many of the symptoms of trauma are not recognised as being trauma related.
Trauma survivors share many symptoms and it is possible for a trauma informed therapist to spot those symptoms.
When I work with people I often see the symptoms that that person may not be aware of.
People may come to see me because of
• difficulties in life
• anxiety
• unmanageable stress
• difficulties in relationships
• depression
• work stress
• feeling numb
• inexplicable pain
• difficulty concentrating
• difficulty making decisions
• difficulty setting boundaries
• and many more symptoms
I AM IMPACTED BY TRAUMA. DOES THAT MAKE ME DEFECTIVE?
When you realise your current difficulties are due to trauma it can lead to your feeling deficient as a person.
Maybe you feel you are weak and not as able to cope with life as others.
But the reality is you survived difficult experiences you could not deal with at the time. So you learned ways to cope, to survive.
TRAUMA SYMPTOMS ARE SURVIVAL ADAPTATIONS
You learned to adapt to the threats and danger. You learned how to cope with being too young to be able to defend yourself, or too powerless to overcome someone stronger or just being trapped.
The behaviours you exhibit now. The way you see the world now. The way you relate to people. The way you perceive the world. All these are ways you adapted to survive.
And survive you have. You learned how to behave, how to keep yourself safe in a situation over which you had no control.
The things you did were wonderful adaptations to help you survive.
I AM SAFE NOW. I WANT THE BEHAVIOURS TO STOP.
Now that you are away from that situation the adaptations are causing difficulties.
This is because you need to learn new behaviours.
It is time to heal from the past and let go of the once helpful but now constricting behaviours. It is time to learn new behaviours.
HOW DO YOU HEAL FROM THE PAST?
The Blue Knot Foundation is a peak body in trauma treatment in Australia. They have produced trauma treatment guidelines that trauma therapists follow in trauma treatment.
These guidelines are world renowned and highly respected.
They involve long term therapy conducted safely by properly qualified trauma therapists.
I have trained extensively with the Blue Knot Foundation and follow their guidelines in my work with trauma survivors.
DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS FURTHER?
If you would like to talk to me about how I can help you heal from your trauma, please contact me on 0409396608 or nan@plentifullifecounselling.com.au
If you would like to learn more, I write a regular newsletter with interesting information, tips, information on courses, and the occasional freebie. At the moment I have a free mindfulness meditation for anyone who signs up to my newsletter. This meditation offers a way to safely explore your feelings and learn to be okay with them. If you would like to subscribe please click on the link here: http://eepurl.com/g8Jpiz