What Actually Is Trauma?
Watch Our Short Video to Gain a Quick and Simple Understanding of What Trauma Is
Understanding trauma is crucial for recovery because it helps you see how trauma impacts your mind, body, and behaviour. This knowledge normalises your responses, reducing self-blame and isolation. Learning about trauma empowers you to take control of your healing journey with informed decisions and effective coping strategies.
"Trauma is not only an event that took place in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body."
Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk
The Nature of Trauma
Trauma is often misunderstood. While commonly thought of as a distressing event or experience, this perspective is overly simplistic. Popular culture frequently portrays trauma through dramatic events, like soldiers experiencing ‘shell shock.’ However, trauma is not merely an event; it is the body’s response to a single event or multiple experiences.
“Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering.”
Dr Peter Levine
“Trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.”
Gabor Maté
A Deeper Understanding
Trauma stems from the body’s unconscious reactions, which means one may not even remember the traumatic event. As Dr. Gabor Maté wisely states, “Trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you.” It represents a disconnection from oneself and the present due to overwhelming stress or perceived threats. This perspective shift is crucial for approaching treatment and cultivating self-compassion.
The Invisible Wounds
Unlike visible physical injuries, the psychological scars of trauma remain unseen. Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a respected trauma researcher, emphasises that our bodies can keep reliving traumatic events even after they have ended, leading to chronic mental and physical health issues and symptoms.
“Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies: The past is alive in the form of gnawing interior discomfort.”
Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk
How Trauma is Experienced and Stored
When we encounter imminent threat or stress, our bodies prepare for fighting or fleeing. A surge of hormones is released, causing temporary physiological changes—pupils dilate, blood flow is directed to major muscle groups and heart rate increases. Adrenaline and energy surge through our system, so we can respond quickly and powerfully.
However, in some situations, we can neither fight, nor flee, and instead we freeze.
Any situation where we feel stuck or trapped can trigger this frozen reaction. This can range from being physically unable to leave, such as in cases of child neglect, sexual abuse, or certain forms of violence, to more nuanced feelings of confinement, like workplace bullying or emotional abuse. For survivors of such experiences, we must address these unfinished reactions at a later stage in order to heal.
How Trauma Gets 'Stuck'
When we cannot fight or flee, our bodies freeze. The energy generated for action becomes ‘frozen’ in the body. With the threat response remaining ‘unfinished’, stress energy becomes trapped in our nervous system.
This can lead to symptoms such as hypervigilance, flashbacks, and emotional numbness.This trapped energy can result in various ailments, from chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), or manifest as physical tension and pain.
For instance, someone who experienced an assault may develop chronic pain in areas like the neck or back, even after physical injuries have healed. This pain is often a manifestation of the body’s unprocessed defensive responses.
Understanding the Nervous System
The human nervous system is central to comprehending trauma. It consists of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system, which includes the autonomic nervous system (ANS).
The ANS has two branches: the sympathetic system (responsible for the fight-or-flight response) and the parasympathetic system (promoting rest and digestion).
Prolonged activation of the sympathetic system can lead to a shutdown mode, where basic functions slow down, causing feelings of hopelessness and fatigue, a state familiar to many with trauma.
Causes of Trauma
Trauma can arise from various experiences, whether a single event or prolonged exposure to stress.
- Physical, emotional, or sexual abuse
- Neglect
- Domestic violence
- Assault
- Witnessing violence
- Death of a loved one
- Relationship breakdowns
- Severe illness or injury
- Loss of employment
- Bullying
- Natural disasters
- Accidents
- Combat trauma
- Kidnapping or hostage situations
- Refugee experiences
- Terrorism
The Concept of Perceived Threat
Our ability to imagine danger triggers the same stress responses as actual threats. Perceived threat refers to the sense of danger that feels real, even if it is not objectively threatening. This explains why seemingly harmless events can trigger intense reactions in individuals with trauma.
Trauma can alter how we perceive the world, causing neutral stimuli to be interpreted as threats. This heightened sensitivity can lead to anxiety and hyperarousal, perpetuating a cycle of stress and misinterpretation.
“What most individuals do not know, however, is that a traumatic event is not over when it is over-even if we have successfully survived.”
Dr janina Fisher
Impact of Unresolved Trauma on Daily Life
- Frequent conflicts in relationships due to a heightened sense of self-protection.
- Development of unhealthy attachment styles.
- Emotional instability and mood swings.
- Avoidance of triggering situations, limiting social and professional participation.
- Difficulty concentrating and memory issues.
- Chronic physical ailments like headaches and digestive problems.
- Persistent feelings of guilt, shame, and worthlessness.
- Heightened startle response and hypervigilance.
- Disrupted sleep patterns.
Treating Trauma at Khiron Clinics
At Khiron Clinics, we focus on treating the root causes of mental and physical health issues rather than just the symptoms. We address various mental health conditions and symptoms such as PTSD, anxiety, depression, dissociation, and more. Our approach emphasizes safety and empowerment, utilizing a combination of top-down and bottom-up methods that address the physical aspects of trauma before delving into cognitive or emotional issues.
Healing with Mind-Body Approaches
Our unique treatment programmes are delivered by clinicians who are informed, trained and supervised by some of the world’s top trauma experts including Dr Bessel Van Der Kolk, Dr Janina Fisher, Dr Stephen Porges, Deb Dana, Dr Dick Schwartz, Licia Sky and Linda Thai.
We offer therapies that directly work with the nervous system to heal the underlying causes of mental and physical health issues, providing a path to lasting recovery.
Understanding trauma as a complex, multifaceted response rather than just an event allows for more effective treatment and greater compassion for oneself and others. At Khiron Clinics, we are dedicated to helping individuals make sense of their experiences and find a path to healing.
Expand Life Skills
Increase Safety in Relationships
Express Unprocessed Emotions
Identify & Manage Triggers
Develop Resources
Understand Science of Trauma
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