The Impact of Trauma: Understanding the Effects on the Mind and Body

Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or series of events that can profoundly affect an individual’s mental and physical health. Whether it stems from a single incident like a car accident or chronic exposure to stressful situations like abuse or neglect, trauma can leave lasting scars. Understanding the impacts that it can have on a person’s life will help support healing.

What is Trauma?

Trauma encompasses experiences that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope. It can be categorised into three main types:

1. Acute Trauma: Results from a single distressing event such as a car accident.
2. Chronic Trauma: Arises from repeated and prolonged exposure to highly stressful events; front-line health workers such as paramedics are often repeatedly exposed to trauma during their work.
3. Complex Trauma: Involves exposure to multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature. Abuse during early childhood or repeated experiences of grief.

Mental Health Effects

1. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

• Symptoms: There can be many, here are a few: intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and hypervigilance.
• Impact: PTSD can have several negative effects on the lives of those who experience it and their families. It disrupts day-to-day life and relationships, leading to isolation and distress. In extreme cases, people can become agoraphobic and avoid leaving their homes completely.
• Where someone may have been affected by a sudden hospital stay for example, their physical recovery may be affected by the ongoing mental health effects.

1. Depression and Anxiety

• Symptoms: When someone is suffering from depression, many of their emotional needs will be unmet. They may experience persistent sadness, loss of interest in activities they typically enjoy, lots of worry or rumination, and panic attacks.
• Impact: Depression can affect the quality of a person’s day-to-day life as they tend to isolate themselves, stop doing things that give them joy, and sleep tends to be out of balance.

1. Substance Abuse

• Symptoms: Often, people who are suffering from PTSD rely on drugs or alcohol to cope with or numb the ongoing emotional pain and suffering they are experiencing.
• Impact: Substance abuse can exacerbate mental health issues, create dependency, and lead to physical health problems.

1. Dissociation

• Symptoms: “Dissociation is the brain’s way of protecting a person from trauma. It involves feeling detached from reality, experiencing memory loss, and a sense of disconnection from oneself. Some individuals may even feel as though they have left their body while experiencing the traumatic event.”
• Impact: Dissociation can interfere with daily life, making it difficult to function normally.

Physical Health Effects

1. Chronic Pain

• Trauma can manifest as physical pain, including headaches, muscle tension, and gastrointestinal issues.

1. Cardiovascular Issues

• Being in a constant state of fight or flight increases the risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.

1. Weakened Immune System

• Chronic stress can suppress the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses. If sleep is out of balance, people will not be getting enough restorative or slow-wave sleep, which is where the immune system is topped up. Long periods of sleep deprivation can impact the ability to fight infection.

1. Sleep Disorders

• Insomnia, nightmares, and disrupted sleep patterns are common. The brain is overwhelmed by reliving the experiences/traumas; therefore, the person will be dreaming a lot if and when they actually go to sleep. This has an ongoing effect on the quality of sleep, affecting physical health.

Cognitive Effects

1. Memory Problems

• Trauma can impair short-term and long-term memory, making concentrating and recalling information difficult.

1. Difficulty with Decision-Making

• Trauma survivors often struggle with making choices, due to anxiety and overthinking.
• They may struggle with motivation due to emotional exhaustion or overload.

Social and Interpersonal Effects

1. Relationship Difficulties

• Trust issues, fear of intimacy, and difficulty communicating can strain relationships with family, friends, and partners. Nightmares may affect the sleep of those around the victim. If they isolate themselves, they may stop going out with their family. If they are constantly hypervigilant, it may have a knock-on effect on the anxiety levels of those around them. I once supported a young person whose hypervigilance while out in public directly impacted the younger sibling who he had to escort to school.

1. Social Withdrawal

• To avoid triggers or due to feelings of shame and guilt, individuals may isolate themselves from social interactions feeling safer in the 4 walls of their house. They may find lots of triggers when out and about on public transport, walking along the street, lots of noise and so on.

1. Work and School Challenges

• Anxiety and hypervigilance can make it difficult for a person to focus, leading to challenges in attending school. It can also affect concentration and memory, resulting in below-par academic or work performance. Crowded spaces with lots of noise and people can be overwhelming, making it easier to justify avoiding such situations.

Pathways to Healing

Healing from trauma is an individualised process, just as the effects of trauma are in the first instance. Here are some effective strategies

Therapy

The Rewind Technique –

• As a Human Givens therapist, I am trained to use the rewind technique. This technique uses deep relaxation to neutralise the effects of trauma and allow the brain to process it so it can be put into the past rather than still being present. The therapist will discuss this more with you in your sessions if this is indicated.

1. Support Networks

• Building strong support systems with friends, family, or support groups provides emotional stability and encouragement. Talk to them about what is happening for you so they can help you. There are phone numbers you can call to access help 24/7 if you are desperate.

1. Self-Care Practices

• Making sure you get all your needs met in balance will be an important part of the therapy and can be impacted by the effects of the trauma. Try to make sure your emotional needs are being met – do some regular exercise, eat regularly, try to engage in activities you enjoy. Get out and about as much as possible and relax regularly to keep emotional arousal low.

1. Creative Outlets

• Engaging in art, music, writing, or other creative activities can facilitate the expression and processing of traumatic experiences. They are also good ways to get into flow and provide relaxation amd distraction from the anxiety.

Conclusion

The impact of trauma can be profound, affecting many aspects of an individual’s life. By recognising and understanding the diverse ways trauma manifests, we can better support those affected and foster environments conducive to healing. Compassion, patience, and the right therapeutic interventions can help trauma survivors rebuild their lives and rediscover their resilience. If you would like to book an appointment for further support, please get in touch.