What Are The Effects of Trauma On The Mind And Body?

One of the most frequent questions we get asked by our clients is "How does trauma affect my body and brain?".

The answer is, everyone is different, and everyone's experience of trauma is different. As with most things in mental health, there's no one-size-fits-all model.

Splitting down the effects of trauma

The effects of trauma can be broken down into categories: Cognitive, Emotional and Behavioural and Physical. Not everyone's experience will span all categories, but it's always helpful to have a wider range of understanding.

Cognitive

This encompasses the beliefs and thoughts that we have about our trauma, and the initial sensitising event. Cognitive symptoms of trauma can include seeing an event as more dangerous than it truly is, if our brain can see a comparison in the situation to the event which caused the trauma. Cognitive symptoms can also include hallucinations, intrusive thoughts or delusions.

Emotional

The emotional impact of trauma can be immense and can show itself in many different ways. Some individuals may show trauma through sadness or anxiety, for others, it may be through anger and a short temper. It may be the case for some that they enter a period where they find it difficult to show their emotions. This can look similar to mood swings but is more extreme. It can mean for some people that they feel numb and dissociative with their lives, and it is at this point where there is a risk of self-destructive behaviour in order to help someone to 'feel something' again.

Behavioural

Destructive behaviour is a very common response after someone has experienced trauma; it can be a way of self-medicating. This can include an increase in alcohol or drug consumption, risk-taking behaviours, or pushing away those closest to them. Avoidance is also one of the most common trauma responses and sees individuals avoiding any situation which is similar to that of the traumatising event. For example, if someone has had a trauma response to a car accident, then they may avoid getting in a car again, either as a driver or a passenger.

Physical

Our bodies can be used as an outlet for emotions - this is called somatisation, where our bodies can show emotional pain. Many people find their bodies feeling unwell after trauma due to this. Other physical reactions to trauma include the inability to sleep and our bodies constantly remaining in ‘fight or flight’ mode where we will be fine-tuned to look out for danger. 

This is obviously not an exhaustive list of trauma symptoms, and people may find they experience none of these symptoms at all. However, these are the most common ways in which trauma can affect both our bodies and our brains.

To find out more about how we can help with trauma, click here.

Follow our Facebook and Instagram for more information about trauma and the myths which surround it!