Trauma is ubiquitous in our society.

It is estimated that 75% of Australians will experience a potentially traumatic event in their lifetime. That 1 in 4 Australian women will experience violence by an intimate partner, and that 1 in 5 women will experience sexual violence. It’s estimated that up to two thirds of young people have been exposed to at least one traumatic event by the time they turn 16! And that 1 in 8 Australian’s have experienced child abuse.

These statistics are alarming and what many of us don’t realise is that these experiences leave traces on our biology and identity, with devastating social consequences. In fact, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention calculate that childhood trauma is our single largest public health issue — more costly than cancer or heart disease — and one that is largely preventable by early prevention and intervention.

So what is trauma? And what is its true cost?

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New blog alert! 〰️

Defining trauma

To put it simply, trauma is a pervasive problem. It results from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects to the individual’s functioning and well-being. And when trauma affects a community or a country it is called collective trauma.

When trauma hits, it creates changes to all our systems. these include:

Cognitive: Trauma affects the ability to process thoughts and make sound judgments.
Emotional: You can find yourself looping with emotions of shame, guilt, fear, anger, and pain.
Physical: It affects your muscles, joints, digestion and metabolism, temperature, sleep, immune system, etc.
Spiritual: Trauma affects our worldview, the lenses with which we see reality (typically so we see it as unsafe), our understanding and meaning of life, society, and the world (aka there’s a significant cognitive shift).
Social: Trauma affects relationships with spouses, family, friends, colleagues, and strangers (because it affects so many so deeply, it also affects structures of societies).

What to remember with trauma is, it is a disconnective disorder. It doesn’t improve in isolation.

Part of the healing process is a (re)connection to others.

What is the cost to the brain + body?

Unfortunately, trauma can change your brain on a myriad of levels. According to a 2006 study by National Institutes of Health (NIH), trauma primarily affects three main parts of the brain: the amygdala (your emotional and instinctual centre), the hippocampus (controls memory), and the prefrontal cortex (which is responsible for regulating your emotions and impulses). And all three parts work together to manage stress.

So what happens when you’re triggered by a traumatic experience (whether that’s sensory input, the personal meaning you attribute to the trauma, your affect or bodily sensations)...

… your amygdala goes into overdrive, it thinks the trauma is happening for the first time! Your prefrontal cortex becomes suppressed, which means you’re less able to manage your fear (aka you’re stuck in a reactive state). And your hippocampus reduces its activity levels and isn’t able to tell whether the trauma happened 10 years ago is or happening to you right now. AND all of this can continue for up to 48 hrs post being activated.

One of the most devastating effects of trauma is that your biology changes into a biology of threat;

This is expressed on multiple levels, in stress hormones, immunology and what the brain selects to pay attention to. Your intrinsic reward system changes, as do “attractors”— what turns you on or leaves you cold. And as a consequence, traumatised people stay on hyperalert; they feel chronically unsafe and in danger, they have problems feeling calm, enjoying the moment and they are out of touch with their surroundings. More than this, trauma can make it difficult to have comfortable reciprocal relationships with your loved ones.

And for some who have experienced trauma, verbally expressing what has happened and attaching a narrative to the experience can feel almost impossible to do… and there’s a really good reason for this!

Broca’s area (the part of the brain that puts your thoughts and feelings into words; it’s commonly associated with strokes) goes offline whenever a flashback is triggered. More than this, when words fail, the brain charges up the visual cortex (Brodmann’s area 19) so that the images that encase the trauma flare up as flashbacks and nightmares, and your brain acts as if it’s happening to you all over again.

“Trauma by nature drives us to the edge of comprehension, cutting us off from language based on common experiences or an imaginable past”
- Bessel Van Der Kolk

Through brain imaging technology, we can even visualise how traumatised people have problems processing ordinary, non-threatening information, which makes it difficult to fully engage in daily life and to learn from experience. As a result, they are frazzled, unfocused, and tend to repeat the same unproductive behaviour patterns, with the same unhelpful results. And we know from the research that intellectually you lose 50 to 90 percent of brain capacity, which is why you should never make a decision when you're ‘in the trauma zone’.

More than this, trauma survivors are vulnerable to a host of medical illnesses and chronic pain syndromes, insomnia, drug and alcohol addiction, depression, obesity, and other issues related to optimal functioning of the entire organism, and the capacity for self regulation and self-care. Essentially, physically all your systems shut down and you run on basics.

What is so intriguing is that physical symptoms that were previously prominent often disappear during this time. Back pain, migraines, arthritis, even acne often clear up. Then, when recovery from trauma is complete, the physical symptoms return. To read more on the physical costs of trauma, read here.

Trauma takes things away from us and some things can never be returned. For some survivors, the losses are physical, and tangible, such as people we loved or a body that once functioned perfectly.

For others, the losses are emotional or intangible, such as a sense of uncomplicated wholeness, pristine memories of beloved times and places.

Either way, coming to terms with irreversible loss is an essential part of healing.

Absolutely!

The great news is that our brains have a remarkable ability to rewire (it’s called neuroplasticity), reversing trauma’s damaging effects. With treatments like EMDR, it is possible for trauma to no longer haunt you, for you to feel empowered, connected and safe. With treatment that is the right fit for you, you can learn to regulate again, and, most importantly, to heal.

I'm ready to heal