Trauma is the emotional response resulting from incomprehensible experiences. Suffering an attack, surviving an accident, or experiencing a natural disaster isn’t something everyone goes through. It’s not normal or natural to face these types of experiences. When we do, our brains and bodies remain impacted. What we see, feel, and experience has a direct impact on our minds and our bodies which means trauma and health are very connected.
Three Types of Trauma
Trauma isn’t limited to a one-off event or accident. There are three main types of trauma.
- Acute
- Chronic
- Complex
Acute trauma: This type of trauma comes from a single incident that is often out of the blue and not typical for the environment. It can include witnessing a trauma, experiencing a trauma, or surviving an accident or illness.
Chronic trauma: This type of trauma is repeated over time and includes issues like domestic violence, homelessness, and other prolonged exposure to dysfunction.
Complex trauma: This represents someone exposed to a variety of traumas including multiple traumatic experiences as well as prolonged traumas combined.
The Body Keeps the Score
Author Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD published the popular book The Body Keeps the Score illustrating how trauma impacts the body and causes a wide variety of mental and physical problems.
Our bodies are designed to withstand trauma. Our brains are specially hardwired to kick into gear when we face a traumatic experience. Our brains secrete hormones and send signals to our nervous system that help us act in the face of a threat and keep ourselves safe, but the experiences imprint on our mind too and can cause immediate and long-term issues, including:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Anxiety and other mental health disorders
- Digestive issues and autoimmune diseases
- Increased risk for stroke or heart attack
You May Not Be Aware of the Impact Trauma Has on Your Body
Sometimes a traumatic situation will immediately trigger a response in your body. Witnessing a tragedy or experiencing something traumatic can cause upset stomach, headache, or any number of other symptoms. Other times, your body may protect itself in the moment and seem to disregard what’s happened only to react later on when you may not make the connection. Either way, your body is keenly aware of what’s going on and has a conscious or subconscious reaction.
People living with chronic or complex trauma may have normalized the sensations in their bodies and have no awareness of the connection between their illnesses, diseases, or poor health and trauma.
It’s Time to Connect the Dots
If you haven’t given much thought to your health and how it may be impacted by trauma, it’s time to connect the dots. Taking a look at your personal history and comparing it with your medical history can be eye-opening. Once you recognize a potential connection between your health and any traumas you may have experienced (or are experiencing) you can begin to take a wholistic approach to healing.
