By: Emma Johnson
Updated: Oct. 10, 2021
Originally Published: Oct. 10, 2021
Trigger warning: child loss
Not long after the heartbreaking loss of my daughter, I began to recognize troubling patterns in my health. As her birthday or the anniversary of her passing approached, I would often fall ill or incur unexplained injuries. On gloomy fall days reminiscent of that tragic day, the mere weather could trigger tears. This still happens from time to time, if I’m honest.
It wasn’t until a friend who is a therapist explained the link between trauma and physical reactions that I realized how intertwined they are. My daughter passed away from SIDS. One night I laid her down, and by morning, she was gone. I didn’t need to check for a pulse or see if she was breathing; I knew she wasn’t alive when I found her. I immediately called 911, but when they instructed me to perform CPR, I was shocked that I hadn’t thought to do it myself.
While many are familiar with the fight-or-flight response, less known is the freeze reaction that I experienced. It’s common knowledge that the first response when someone stops breathing is CPR, but in that moment, the thought simply didn’t register for me—almost as if I wasn’t aware it was an option. Since then, I’ve noticed this freeze response becoming my automatic reaction to situations that my body perceives as threatening.
When I check on my sleeping children and don’t immediately see their chests rising and falling, I find it hard to respond as I wish to. I want to run to them, but my body won’t allow it. It’s like those nightmares where you can’t move, even though every part of you wants to escape. My body seems to hold on to the traumatic details of that day, signaling, “Stop! We’ve been through this before, and it’s too overwhelming.”
Most people understand that the brain stores memories, but many don’t realize that the body also retains painful experiences. When we encounter a situation our minds deem too distressing, our bodies enter defense mode to seek safety. The brain’s ability to process trauma can become impaired, leading to an overwhelmed nervous system that struggles to properly encode the traumatic event. When trauma remains unprocessed, even minor situations can trigger intense responses, illustrating the very essence of a trauma trigger.
Dr. Sarah Bennett, an expert in trauma recovery, states, “Experiencing a stressful relationship or losing a loved one can be traumatic. Sometimes we move past trauma without visible scars, but other times, our reactions persist long after the immediate threat has passed.” A person may struggle to recall specific details of their trauma yet find themselves reacting disproportionately to certain triggers for reasons they cannot explain. While the brain might block out traumatic memories as a protective mechanism, it’s crucial to acknowledge that the body remembers.
Whether trauma is stored in your organs, muscles, or connective tissues, it finds a way to manifest if left unresolved. For instance, research published in JAMA Internal Medicine indicated that women whose first sexual experiences were non-consensual had a higher likelihood of developing pelvic inflammatory disease compared to those whose first encounters were consensual.
Unprocessed trauma doesn’t simply vanish. While your brain might disconnect and spare you from the lingering effects like flashbacks, it can severely impact your physical health over time. Trauma survivors often experience a cycle of heightened fear and adrenaline due to the ongoing influence of their trauma. Therefore, it’s essential to explore trauma-focused therapies while also prioritizing physical healing.
Studies show that exercise can aid in repairing the nervous system and releasing energy trapped by unprocessed trauma. Given that trauma adversely affects the digestive system, dietary adjustments, such as reducing inflammatory foods, can also promote overall well-being.
If you’ve been carrying trauma in your body and are working on releasing it, don’t be surprised if new symptoms arise. You’re training your mind to view a painful situation through a different lens, a process that is challenging on both physical and mental levels but ultimately worthwhile. For further insights, you might want to check out this related post here or learn more about the stages of pregnancy at this link. Additionally, for excellent resources on pregnancy and home insemination, visit Healthline.