“The more people try to push away and ignore internal warning signs, the more likely they are to take over and leave them bewildered, confused, and ashamed. People who cannot comfortably notice what is going on inside become vulnerable to respond to any sensory shift either by shutting down or by going into a panic — they develop a fear of fear itself.”
― Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma
The aftermath of experiencing trauma can have a lasting, harmful impact on our sense of safety and security, our sense of identity, agency and functioning – affecting how we navigate the world. Whether it’s due to a single life-altering event or a series of seemingly smaller experiences that, over time, led to chronic or complex trauma, the consequences can be crippling and imprisoning.
The shock of acute trauma as well as the compounding nature of repetitive exposure to harmful experiences can adversely impact our mental, emotional, physical, social and spiritual well-being. The effects of trauma can seep into unexpected spaces in unexpected ways.
Most people will experience some level of trauma in their lifetime. While some people can recover from trauma in time with the love and support of family/friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover that they continually live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or hyper-vigilance. Many struggle with post traumatic stress (PTS) or, if severe enough, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), long after the event has passed.
If you are suffering from ongoing symptoms, know that your past trauma does not have to define the quality of your life now.