Trauma comes in different shapes and sizes. It can appear to be something minor at first and others might not even understand how it could have been traumatic at all. It could also happen on a bigger scale, such as a traumatic birth or an emotionally abusive relationship. The effects generally tend to be long-term though. Taking a healthy baby home after a traumatic birth or leaving an abusive relationship doesn’t automatically make the effect it had on you go away. Long after the event, you could be triggered by something unexpected, such as hearing a song that was playing at the time.
Just like the mind holds on to the events, the body can hold on to the emotional impact they made. An amazing day can leave you feeling alive and energized and a dispute at work can leave you feeling unwell or physically exhausted. If a bad day can leave you feeling tense, imagine how a traumatic event can affect your body. The body and mind work together and influence each other. They both need nourishing, but where to begin when they are not in sync anymore and you have come to a point where you are having issues with both?
Signs you could be dealing with emotional trauma
Broken sleep, fatigue or insomnia; this could show as being exhausted (yet on high alert) all day then wide awake at bedtime, waking every 2 hours, then not wanting to get up in the morning. It could also be the opposite: wide awake at the crack of dawn just to be exhausted again 2 hours later. Long term this can lead to fatigue which in turn has a detrimental effect on the body and can get you stuck in a vicious circle, hindering your healing process. Trauma, long-term adrenaline exposure, sleep deprivation, unbalanced hormones, decreased libido, weakened immune system, increased appetite, injury, inflammation, pain, more sleep deprivation, etc.
A feeling of high alertness most of the time, even in the middle of the night. Going from asleep to wide awake in seconds.
Physical tension
Slower healing of injuries and wounds
Increased or loss of appetite
Jumpy, easily startled
An undeniable feeling of guilt or shame, even when it doesn’t make sense
Feeling on edge, irritable or angry
Seeing danger in lots of situations
Feeling anxious for no apparent reason
Loss of memory or concentration
Mind fog
Replaying the traumatic event or having nightmares
Feeling unable to talk about it without reliving it
Weakened immune system
Feeling desensitized when it comes to the positive things and experiences in life. Not getting that feeling of looking forward to something, even if you know it should be fun.
Trauma can be misdiagnosed as depression but could also be interlinked.
Physical wellness - an undeniable step towards emotional wellness
Our bodies encapsulate who we are and carry us through our experiences and therefore carry the effects. The body can hold on to trauma and neglect. Even when you are on the path to healing, the body sometimes doesn’t realize it can let go. Trauma can become stuck. Habits become ingrained. Looking after your body isn’t a standalone job, it’s part of looking after your whole self. So how can you let your body know that you’re safe and it’s time to let go? Manual therapy treatments for the body can be the helping hand it needs to kick-start the process of unlocking trauma. Read more about the benefits, such as reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and improved sleep, in the massage therapy for mental health blog on Psychology Today.
Things to try
Talking therapy, whether it’s a professional, someone who went through something similar, or someone close to you. It’s entirely up to you and may also depend on how deep the trauma is.
Journaling
Soft tissue therapy and movement therapy relieve stress, tension, pain, and injury symptoms that have become stuck in your body.
Sleep and restful moments. The body can’t heal without adequate sleep and rest.
Make sure you take breaks from your responsibilities. It’s crucial that you have and allow someone to take over your responsibilities regularly, even if it’s only for short periods of time. Believe me, there is nothing in this world only you can do. And when it comes to other people’s attachment to you, it could help them, to not be solely reliant on you. Take baby steps and slowly increase the time spent away. For some, it can feel like a punch in the stomach at first, but I promise it will get easier and you’ll even start enjoying it.
Nourish the body, eat well and enough, then top that up with quality supplements.
Social connections and the opposite, do something on your own, something that you would normally want company for.
Something that will exhilarate you: cold water immersion, ice skating, roller skating, something completely outside of your comfort zone to really awaken your senses. Let your body and mind focus on something other than the issues from the past and present. Don’t worry if you can’t get someone to accompany you, go alone and you’ll be surprised how much fun you can have.
Remember to be forgiving. Forgive yourself, your body, your mind, your actions, your feelings, and your thoughts. They have one thing in common during this experience: they are trying to protect you. They may have gone overboard and may still be reacting to something that isn’t happening anymore, but they are trying to help. Don’t chastise yourself for crying, being angry, or having negative thoughts towards yourself or others. Try to accept that your feelings and thoughts are there to protect you, be appreciative, and then work towards allowing them to realize they aren’t needed anymore. You are away from the traumatic event, and you want to move on.
Women Wellness Hub has info and suggestions when it comes to physical & emotional wellness and socials. Feel free to explore the resources dotted around the website. Please comment below if you have found something that really helped you. I will add it and hopefully, it will help others.
By listening to your story, if you so wish, I can find out more about the physical discomfort and treat it through soft tissue therapy and rehabilitation exercises. If you're interested in finding out more about soft tissue and movement therapy and what to expect from your first treatment, take a look at my about page and what to expect.
If you feel like you can’t cope any longer, please reach out to someone. PTSD isn’t usually something that will just go away in time. A GP can refer you, or you can refer yourself for psychological therapies directly without a referral.
For urgent psychological support, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258 to reach trained volunteers at Shout.