Trauma is not always a dramatic event. Sometimes it is the accumulation of experiences that leave the nervous system in a state of chronic activation.
What trauma actually is
Trauma is not defined by the event itself, but by the impact it has on the nervous system. Two people can go through the same experience and be affected very differently. What matters is whether the experience overwhelmed the person's capacity to process it at the time, leaving an imprint that continues to affect how they feel, think, and respond.
How trauma lives in the body
When we experience something threatening, the nervous system activates the fight-flight-freeze response. In normal circumstances, this response completes and the system returns to baseline. With trauma, the process is interrupted: the nervous system gets stuck in a state of activation or shutdown, and this can persist long after the original event.
What this looks like day to day
Common physical signs of unresolved trauma include hypervigilance (always scanning for danger), startling easily, difficulty sleeping, chronic muscle tension, digestive issues, fatigue, and an exaggerated stress response to relatively minor triggers. People often feel disconnected from their bodies or from others.
Approaches that work
Trauma treatment has evolved significantly. Evidence-based approaches include Trauma-Focused CBT, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing), somatic therapies that work with the body's role in trauma, and prolonged exposure therapy. The right approach depends on the nature and history of the trauma, and a good therapist will tailor this with you.
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