Trauma and the Nervous System: Understanding the body as a container
What is trauma?
We all have the innate ability to recover from stressful situations, much like animals in the wild. When animals are attacked, they initially freeze to protect themselves from feeling pain. In trauma we also tend to lose connection to our sensations by either freezing or numbing physically. The difference between the wild animals and the modern humans is that the most animals are able to recover readily by physically shaking off and releasing the energy they accumulate during stressful events. We domesticated humans, on the other hand, have been conditioned to inhibit the natural process that helps wild animals release and recover from trauma. We often override these natural ways of regulating the nervous system with feelings of shame, judgments, and fears. We repress fear, anger, and other paralyzing emotions associated with trauma, leading to the embedding of painful memories and feelings in their tissues, which can result in physical and psychological symptoms.
Trauma is in the body
Trauma is a common experience, and our bodies are naturally equipped to recover from traumatic events. To understand this, we need to know how our bodies deal with challenges and stress.
Our bodies respond to the environment by adjusting energy levels. During challenging moments, our bodies undergo hormonal and physiological changes. Heart rate and blood pressure increase, and breathing becomes faster as our bodies prepare to handle the situation. After the challenge passes, our energy levels decrease, and any surplus energy is discharged. This continuous process is managed by our autonomic nervous system, regulating vital functions involuntarily.
When facing danger, our eyes and ears send signals to the amygdala, the part of the brain that processes information. The amygdala interprets the signals and, if it perceives danger, sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus - the control center for the stress response. This communication triggers the sympathetic nervous system's "fight, flight, or freeze" response and the parasympathetic "rest-and-digest" response, which help us adapt to stressors.
Under normal circumstances, our bodies can self-regulate through these responses. However, traumatic events can push us beyond our window of tolerance, causing an inability to self-regulate. Individuals who have experienced trauma may be triggered by reminders of the event, and their bodies might respond by activating the autonomic nervous system, even in situations that resemble the traumatic event.
Trauma overcomes our body's capacity for a fight-or-flight response, causing us to freeze. While some traumatic experiences are recognizable, others may be buried in the unconscious, leading to unexplained physical or psychological symptoms.
How to deal with dissociation
Dealing with dissociation can be challenging. When a person is traumatized, unresolved feelings such as anger, fear, or pain can resurface and lead to disassociation. These feelings may be hidden behind a disassociated state and can suddenly emerge, potentially causing further trauma and disassociation.
It's important to acknowledge that unwanted emotions can have positive aspects. We can try to recall moments when these emotions served us in a positive way. Our energy and strength are often concealed within rejected feelings and the shadow side of our personality. Allowing ourselves to experience these overwhelming feelings without losing control, especially if they're linked to a traumatic experience, is not easy.
However, it's essential to recognize disassociation for what it is, rather than trying to overcome it too quickly or mistaking it for a developed state of consciousness. We can grow stronger and more aware by returning from a disassociated state and processing the unpleasant or overwhelming feelings that led to disassociation. Growth occurs when we confront reality as it is, including the unwanted feelings and sensations.
Body as a container - phases of healing
Understanding our body and staying present is an important part of healing from trauma.
Support: Rebuilding a sense of safety and trust, which may have been lost during a traumatic event. After experiencing trauma, the world may no longer feel safe, trust is lost, and there's a sense of being ungrounded. Sometimes, our own body may not feel like a safe place, leading to dissociation. Overcoming this can take time, and progress cannot be made without a sense of safety.
Resource & Confrontation: Rediscovering resources helps prepare individuals to face challenges without feeling overwhelmed. Finding a resource can help release activated trauma. However, discovering and being grounded in one's own resources and strength doesn't happen only through support. It's important to slowly start dealing with the traumatic event.
Integration: Healing involves digesting and integrating an experience. Finding the right pace is important to avoid overwhelming our system. It's important to let go of the desire to only experience good feelings and to respect our limits without pushing too hard. When we feel safe enough, we can start facing unpleasant and uncomfortable feelings, allowing our body and mind to slowly integrate the unlocked survival energy.
The goal is to avoid becoming overwhelmed while staying connected to a sense of relative safety, and supporting the body to find its natural way of self-regulation. Our emotional wisdom provides us with dynamic flow and help us to increase our health and vitality.
