Fortunately, in recent years the concept of trauma has become increasingly relevant. Still, there remains a lot of confusion about what is and is not trauma. In this sense, there also continue to be erroneous ideas about the possible repercussions that it can have both on the person and on the environment that surrounds them.
Throughout this article we will briefly see what trauma is. This will allow us to have a basic but adjusted idea about the concept that will allow us to understand what it is. the relationship between trauma and body. Additionally, we will also address what role the body plays in “recovery” (integration) from trauma.
It is increasingly common to talk about trauma in our daily lives. In fact, on many occasions, the term is used incorrectly, minimizing the seriousness and depth that the term implies. Few people are aware that the term comes from Greek and means “wound.”. Specifically, in psychology it is used for emotional wounds.
In general terms, trauma is usually associated with certain specific experiences. However, what really causes the wound is not so much what happened itself but how the person experienced it. That is, traumatic situations are those in which the person feels overwhelmed and without coping resources.
Undoubtedly, there are certain situations, usually unexpected, in which a person’s life is in danger and this is potentially traumatic. Nevertheless, Not all people generate trauma, or develop post-traumatic stress disorder, even having experienced similar situations. Resilience plays an essential role.
The idea that there are two types of trauma is currently defended. On the one hand, type I trauma is related to specific situations, specific events, in which the person’s physical integrity is usually at serious risk. On the other hand, in type II trauma, the events may be less serious, but persistent, sustained over time. Furthermore, they are usually linked to the relational.
The relationship between trauma and the body
To understand the relationship between the body and emotional trauma, we must go to the beginning of our development. At birth, the brain structure responsible for memory, the hippocampus, is not fully developed. It is not until two and a half or three years old that it has just developed. During this period, everything we experience is recorded in our body.
Since there is no language yet, and when there is it is very basic and is being learned, these memories are recorded in the form of physical sensations. It is our most primitive brain, the reptilian one, that processes this information unconsciously. Our body remembers everything we have experienced, even if we are not consciously aware of it.
At some moments in the present, our body can reactivate emotions and sensations from the past automatically and unconsciously. When our body identifies situations relatively similar to those that caused the injury, our autonomic nervous system is activated to respond to danger by fleeing, fighting, or collapsing.
We usually observe that people with post-traumatic stress disorder present symptoms closely related to chronic hyperactivation of the autonomic nervous system, among other factors. Your body did not register that the danger was over and continues trying to confront it, even though the threat is no longer there.
Initially we mentioned that trauma is generated when the person’s coping resources are overwhelmed. This is closely related to the collapse response of the autonomic nervous system. All the energy that has not been able to be discharged in the form of a response to danger is trapped in the body and generates consequences.
The importance of the body in trauma integration
Sometimes, but not always, our mind tries to “forget” the traumatic experience. In this sense, It is common to encounter people who minimize what they have experienced and who do not even remember anything. When this happens, our mind is trying to protect us from the pain.
However, as our body stores traumatic memory, it will constantly try to free itself from stagnant energy and its harmful effects. Our body has a natural tendency towards both physical and emotional healing. With this in mind, it is easier to understand that much physical symptomatology can be related to trauma.
Somatization can manifest itself in many ways and vary at different times in life. and, of course, between different people. Below are some of the most common physical expressions related to trauma:
Somatic approach therapy
Somatic therapy focuses on the body, based on the mind-body connection. That is, it uses both psychotherapy tools and physical therapies to offer a holistic approach. By applying these techniques, it is intended to help facilitate the release of stagnant energy and tension in the body.
There are various somatic therapy proposals. In general, they focus on generating tools so that the person learns to regulate their nervous system and stop being permanently in fight, flight or collapse mode. Furthermore, it generates emotional and bodily awareness that allows for compassionate care and, thus, the traumatic experience is integrated.
This approach can be integrated within other types of psychotherapy. Although it is true that it is one of the most used proposals in addressing trauma, somatic therapy allows other physical and emotional difficulties to be addressed. It is essential that the professional be trained, accredited and qualified to work from the somatic approach.
