In the last blog I talked about how movement features in our ability to survive traumatic experiences through the activation of our nervous systems to run, fight, or freeze.

All responses are automatic and out of our control, as our minds allow our bodies to take over.

But what happens next?

Even though we might have survived the trauma we can still become traumatised.

Usually – once the danger is over – stress hormones can be released through movement. The regulation of our nervous systems also happens via the connection, care, and nurture of others once we reach our place of safety.

But this doesn’t always happen because – if the traumatic experience is ongoing and inescapable – as in childhood abuse or domestic abuse – there is no place of safety to return to and no safe human connection.

Stress hormones can stay trapped in the body for a long time, and the nervous system – triggered by the amygdala – stays on high alert to perceived threats.

This chronic state of stress and fear leads to:

Hyper-arousal

The sympathetic nervous system is switched on to threat and stays ready to run or fight. It can cause feelings of anxiety, hypervigilance, and anger. Heightened emotions can feel intolerable without becoming overwhelmed, feeling out of control, or acting impulsively.

Hypo-arousal

The parasympathetic nervous system – activated to induce numbness and avoid any physical/emotional pain associated with the traumatic experience or ‘freeze’ – leads to tuning out from the environment, phobia of emotions/physical sensations, and detachment from self. Emotions like sadness or shame can feel intolerable without shutting down and becoming depressed.

Survived trauma becomes trapped trauma because – although our responses help us survive danger – they’re also quite primitive.

We don’t remember traumatic experiences in the same way as other experiences. They get stored in our bodies as emotions and our nervous systems can make us feel as though we continue to relive trauma, long after the traumatic experience is over.

If you feel stuck in a traumatic experience as though it were still happening, please reach out for support.