Everything to know about trauma

What is trauma?

Trauma is an invisible force that deeply influences our lives, shaping our behavior, emotions, and perceptions of the world around us. It serves as the root of our most profound wounds while also being the wellspring of our greatest inner strengths.

When we encounter mental, emotional, or physical pain, our immediate response is often focused on symptom relief - and that makes sense! This approach is understandable as we attempt to cope with stress, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, migraines, weight gain, and other challenges. We may turn to medication, management strategies, avoidance, or distractions to mitigate the distressing symptoms and carry on with our lives. However, trauma presents a unique set of complexities. Our temporary solutions eventually prove inadequate, leading to the resurgence of symptoms or the emergence of new ones. This cycle can leave us feeling drained, vulnerable, and burdened by a sense of powerlessness.

Traumatic experiences, regardless of when they occurred, imprint themselves in our bodies as emotional memories distinct from cognitive recollections. These emotional memories are instinctual mechanisms designed to keep us safe. They operate automatically and help us to thrive and survive. Yet, when left unresolved, these stored traumas can linger within us like slivers, slowly rising to the surface of the skin. The physical manifestations of these traumas serve as profound signals that we are in need of deeper healing, often requiring the assistance of a skilled therapist. It is essential to acknowledge that experiencing trauma is not a fault or a flaw, but rather a natural response to challenging circumstances. As noted by Gabor Maté, "Trauma is not what happens to you. Trauma is what happens inside you as a result of what happens to you."

To embark on the journey of healing from trauma, it is imperative to delve into the origins of our symptoms. By tracing the vine to its root, we can uncover the source of trauma that has taken hold in our wounded human soul.

Peter Levine offers a succinct definition of trauma, describing it as an encounter with fear-and-helplessness or terror-and-immobility. The magnitude of an individual's distress is not solely determined by the severity of the event, but rather by the significance of its impact within their personal context.

3 types of trauma

Big-T Trauma: This type of trauma parallels a deep knife wound in its intensity. It includes significant events such as catastrophes like 9/11, the loss of a loved one, experiences of sexual or other abuse, miscarriage, abortion, adoption, betrayals, divorces, abandonment, and infidelities.

Little-T Trauma: Analogous to a minor toothpick injury, Little-T Traumas produce noticeable pain but are not inherently devastating. However, the accumulation of these small traumas and the accompanying messages of toxic shame can have a profound impact. A series of Little-T Traumas occurring in succession or simultaneously may exert a similar effect to that of Big-T Trauma. Examples of Little-T Traumas encompass injuries, the passing of a pet, the presence of an unreliable parent or caregiver, a critical parent or caregiver, instances of harassment, and the loss of significant relationships.

Chronic-T Trauma: This subtype of trauma is likened to insidious damage from persistent environmental toxicity or subtle smog contamination. It wields a more substantial influence than Big-T or Little-T Trauma as it infiltrates all bodily systems akin to a pervasive virus. Individuals experiencing chronic trauma often exist in a state of hyper-arousal, with life events being filtered through a lens of heightened sensitivity and anxiety, potentially leading to panic attacks and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Enduring chronic trauma resets our baseline for what is considered normative and elevates the likelihood of engaging in compulsive behaviors and developing addictions. Examples of Chronic-T traumas comprise of enduring abuse or witnessing ongoing abuse, persistent bullying, contending with chronic medical illnesses, experiencing neglect, abandonment, starvation, confinement, and combat situations.

A significant portion of what is conventionally labeled as abnormality within society can be interpreted as normal responses to an abnormal culture. This perspective suggests that the roots of distress and dysfunction do not solely lie within the pathology of individuals but are inherent to the societal structures that propel individuals towards suffering and maladaptation. As aptly articulated by Gabor Maté, "The abnormality does not reside in the pathology of individuals, but in the very culture that drives people into suffering and dysfunction."

Numerous evidence-based therapeutic modalities have been developed to address and resolve trauma. In addition to formal academic training, I have pursued specialized certifications in modalities such as Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems therapy, and trauma specialization under the guidance of Marilyn Murray.

Brainspotting (BSP): A therapeutic technique pioneered by David Grand, Brainspotting leverages visual cues to pinpoint, concentrate on, and release unresolved traumas lodged in the subcortical regions of the brain.

Internal Family Systems (IFS):* Developed by Richard C. Schwartz and combines systems thinking with the view that the mind is made up of relatively discrete sub-personalities, each with its own unique viewpoint and qualities.

Additionally, I highly recommend resources by Bessel van Der Kolk and Gabor Maté, both are pioneers in the field.

"Traumatized people chronically feel unsafe inside their bodies. The past is alive in the form of a gnawing interior discomfort. Their bodies are constantly bombarded by visceral warning signs, and, in an attempt to control these processes, they often become experts at ignoring their gut feelings and numbing their awareness of what is played out inside. They learn to hide from themselves".  Bessel A. van der Kolk