How Traumatic Memories Become Stuck in Your Body and Mind
Live more in the moment, they say. Let go of the past, they tell us.
Good advice but far easier said than done—especially for those struggling with traumatic memories. Painful experiences from your past can have a negative impact on you. This can occur even in the most “normal” situations.
Do you have a hard time letting yourself relax or even just remain still? Is interacting with others a daily challenge? Do you feel unsafe in your day-to-day life—even when no obvious threats or risks are present?
If you answered “yes” to any of these queries, you may be dealing with the long-term effects of trauma.
What Types of Events and Experiences Cause Traumatic Memories?
Trauma, of course, is in the eye, body (and mind) of the beholder/experiencer. Even so, there are many common trends within the template of trauma. In the past year, some specific examples relate to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, economic crisis, social unrest, racism, natural disasters, and political divisions.
More general examples include:
Death of a loved one
Neglect and/or abandonment
Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse
Bullying
Being victimized by a crime
Accident, illness, or injury
Domestic abuse in your home
Substance abuse in your home
Being witness to a traumatic event
This mere sampling provides a glimpse at what far too many of us endure. According to the most recent estimates, over 70 million American adults will experience some kind of traumatic event within their lifetime. As if the event itself wasn’t horrific enough, trauma embeds the memories in your mind and body.
How Traumatic Memories Become Stuck in Your Body and Mind
By their very nature, traumatic events are difficult to process. Due to this reality, unresolved past traumas will be regularly triggered in your present life.
Other memories end up being filed away. Traumatic memories, on the other hand, until repaired, remain ever-present and ever-ready to cause nightmares, flashbacks, and other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Without you being fully aware of it, these memories can shape your choices on a daily basis.
Here’s how to understand that process:
During any stressful event, our body and mind activate a survival response known as “fight or flight” and “freeze or faint.” When all is functioning well, this response puts us on the kind of alert we need to handle the crisis. However, after especially traumatic events, we can get “stuck” in survival mode. We remain in a state of alert—unable to differentiate safety from danger. Simply put, we are re-wired—biologically and chemically—as to how we react to minute-to-minute input. Frequently, this is the beginning of the onset of PTSD.
Signs That You May Be Stuck in Trauma
Hyper-vigilance
Insomnia or nightmares
Withdrawal and social isolation
Irritability and agitation
Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts
Unwillingness to open up to others
Fear of abandonment
Anger
Self-sabotaging behaviors
Extreme anxiety
Depression
Low self-esteem
Feeling that you cannot attain your dreams
Loss of interest in activities that once excited you
It’s Okay and Important to Ask For Help
Some experiences are just too big to handle alone. With the help of a compassionate and skilled therapist, you can recover. You can feel better and feel like yourself again.
Traumatic memories can cloud the way you see the world. Working with a trauma specialist offers you a chance to reclaim clarity. Your therapist will validate your pain, and you explore and examine your struggles. Working together, you will identify old patterns and replace them with fresh approaches.
The healing you experience will be palpable and sustainable. And this will open new doors through which you can access inner peace, self-esteem, and healthy relationships.
—
If you would like to know more about my approach to trauma therapy, please feel free to contact us.