Trauma

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What Do We Mean by Trauma?

Trauma is not just a painful memory. It is a response by the body and the nervous system to experiences in which our well-being was threatened—physically, sexually, or psycho-emotionally—and in which we felt overwhelmed, vulnerable, or out of control.

When that happens, the body doesn't forget. It records it, stores it, and expresses it in ways we sometimes can't decipher. Trauma manifests itself differently in each individual.

Trauma occurs in context

Most traumatic experiences occur within the context of relationships and social life. Trauma can result from violence related to characteristics that place us outside the norm: ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation or expression, socioeconomic class, religion, spirituality, immigration status, physical appearance Physical , or neurodiversity.

It can also arise when we witness a difficult event, especially when we lack the space or emotional support to process it. Even downplaying what we’ve experienced—or silencing ourselves—can, in and of itself, be a form of revictimization.

And although less common, trauma can also stem from sources other than human interactions: natural disasters or accidents. The principle is the same: something happened for which we lacked the emotional resources or the necessary support to get through it.

Not every difficult experience leads to trauma

It is important to recognize that each person processes situations differently based on their history, context, and resources. Not all events that deeply affect us result in trauma—and that is also valid.

Traumatic experiences can have two types of causes:

TRAUMA CAUSED BY AN ACTION

  • Minor car accidents (including minor collisions), especially those that result in whiplash

  • Natural disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, fires, and floods

  • Assault

  • Severe emotional, Physical , and sexual abuse

  • Bullying; direct criticism, humiliation, punishment, ridicule

  • War (torture; genocide)

  • Invasive medical and dental procedures, particularly when performed on children who are immobilized or under anesthesia

  • Falls and other so-called "minor" injuries, especially when they involve children or older adults

  • Catastrophic Injuries and Illnesses

  • Prolonged immobility, especially in children

  • Stress during childbirth, for both the mother and the baby

  • Loud, sudden noises, especially in children and infants

  • Traumatic Losses

  • Various forms of oppression: racism, sexism

TRAUMA BY OMISSION

  • Neglect and deprivation, especially among young children and infants

  • Unavailable caregivers; depressed, addicted, traumatized, frightened, and overwhelmed

  • Poverty, Prejudice, and Alienation/Exclusion

  • Lack of consistency, safety, and/or protection

  • Experiences of profound and complete loneliness

  • Exposure to extreme heat or cold, especially in children and infants

TYPES OF TRAUMA

  • Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

  • Developmental Trauma

  • Complex Trauma

  • Intergenerational Trauma

  • Vicarious Trauma

  • Racial Trauma

  • Historical Trauma

  • Cultural Trauma

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS

  • Hypervigilance

  • Intrusive images or flashbacks

  • Dissociation or denial (a lack of connection between the body and the mind)

  • Hypersensitivity to light or sound

  • Exaggerated emotional or startle responses

  • Nightmares

  • Sudden mood swings

  • Shame and Low Self-Esteem

  • Stress Intolerance

  • Panic Attacks, Anxiety, and Phobias

  • Sleep Problems

  • Brain freeze or a feeling of being disconnected

  • Avoidant behavior (avoiding places, activities, movements, memories, or people)

  • Attraction to dangerous situations

  • Addictive behaviors (compulsive eating, drinking, smoking, etc.)

  • Excessive or decreased sexual activity

  • Amnesia or Forgetfulness

  • Inability to love, nurture, or connect with others

  • Fear of dying or having a short life

  • Excessive shyness

  • Diminished emotional responses

  • Inability to behave appropriately

  • Chronic fatigue

  • Autoimmune diseases and certain endocrine disorders, such as thyroid dysfunction and environmental sensitivities.

  • Psychosomatic disorders, particularly headaches, migraines, and neck and back problems

  • Chronic pain

  • Fibromyalgia or generalized muscle pain

  • Asthma

  • Skin Disorders

  • Digestive Problems

  • Severe premenstrual syndrome

  • Depression or a feeling of impending death

  • Feelings of detachment, alienation, and isolation

  • Limited ability to develop plans

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Why address trauma through the body?

Trauma is experienced through physical sensations.

Trauma, beyond the event that caused it, leaves a deep mark that shapes the lives of those who have experienced it. It chronically affects physiology, transforms one’s worldview, reactions, and the way one relates to others. As a defense mechanism, many people who have experienced trauma learn to disconnect from their own bodies and sensations—because that disconnection, at the time, was the only way to survive.

The Body as a Compass: Interoception

Our body knows. It tells us what is safe and what is dangerous, what is good for us and what harms us, what causes pain and what is a source of pleasure. That internal guidance system is called interoception.

Interoception is the ability to consciously perceive what we need based on our visceral sensations and emotional states. It responds to stimuli originating within the body and allows us to make decisions based on what we feel. It is the foundation of self-awareness and identity: the ability to trust that our own bodies can guide us.

When trauma disrupts that connection

Trauma disrupts interoception. The nervous system can become trapped in a state of constant hypervigilance, becoming hypersensitive to sensations in order to anticipate any threat. Or hypersensitive to emotional changes, attitudes, and behaviors in those around us. Or, at the opposite extreme, it can disconnect from one’s own desires and needs—because not feeling becomes more manageable than feeling too much.

In all cases, the body adapts in order to survive. But that adaptation comes at a cost.

The Way Back

Dr. Bessel van der Kolk confirms that people who have experienced trauma cannot recover until they become familiar with and accept their bodily sensations: "Wedo not fully knowourselves until we can feel and interpret our physical sensations; we need to register them and act on them in order to navigate life safely."

Reconnecting with your body is neither an immediate nor a linear process. But it is possible. And it is the starting point for all healing.

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Many traumatized people are not aware of it. The original trauma blocks off a part of them. That is why many traumatized people say, “It didn’t matter; this had no impact on me…” They try to deny how it has affected them, but those effects show up in their relationships and in how they interact with others.

Bessel van der Kolk

These practices are committed to advocating for a focus on the experiences of trauma survivors.

Recommended Reading

"After trauma, the world is experienced through a different nervous system. This explains why it is essential that trauma treatment involve the entire organism: body, mind, and brain."

— Bessel Van Der Kolk