Trauma isn't just psychological. It can impact your body too. (2024)

Trauma isn't just psychological. It can impact your body too. (1)

It may feel like you're on edge. You may start to sweat. Your heart may race, your fists may clench.

Trauma isn't only a person's emotional and psychological reaction to anintense or overwhelming event, it canlead to physical manifestations that arefelt in the body too.

"Those kinds of physiological symptoms are incredibly common in PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder),but also just a more global trauma response," explains Dr. Rubin Khoddam, clinical psychologist and founder ofCOPE Psychology."And that (physical response) over time has a bigimpact on our body."

But emerging body-first treatments, such as trauma-informed yoga, aim to help those struggling.

"Tears can come up, emotions can come up. Sometimes memories can come up," explainsJennTurner, clinical mental health counselor and co-director and founderof the Center for Trauma and Embodiment. Shehas been working with the Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) approachfor the last 20 years.

How can the body react to trauma?

When working with patients who have experienced trauma, Dr. Christine Gibson, author of"The Modern Trauma Toolkit,"typicallysees two types of physical responses.

Some may havea fight-or-flight type of response, which may include muscle tension, heart pounding and sweating because their body"believes it needs to activate," she explains. Others maybe experience afreeze response, which can look like someone who struggles to move or get out of bed.

"We are more familiar with fight-or-flight because it looks kind of like anxious energy... and all of those physical things show up in the body. But what a lot of people don't understand isthat freeze response is also related to trauma," she explains.

The length of a person's physical response can differ depending on the type of trauma they're facing.

In the midst of an acute trauma (a one-time event like a car accident, for example), a physical sensation can be there in the short term, Khoddam explains.With chronic trauma, if a person is constantly experiencing hyper-arousal(a soldier in a war zone, for example) their bodymaystayin that state.And, for some,thebody maymaintain that physiological responseeven when the stressor is no longer there.

Releasing trauma from the body

The best route fortreatingtrauma depends onthe severityand itsimpact, Khoddam says. With trauma that has progressed into PTSD symptoms, he recommends strongevidence-based practices like cognitive processing therapy or prolonged exposure.

These approaches help to "undo a lot of the learning that our body and mind did as a result of that trauma," he says, but "on the most basic level, wewant to create spaces where the body is able to down regulate."

This could look like mindfulness practices such as setting time aside to not be stimulated by your surroundingsor yoga and other body-first interventions, some of which have been shown to be beneficial towards treating trauma.

Gibson prefers this body-first approach overa top-down cognitive approach when it comes to treating physical trauma responses.

"The bottom-up approach is where you use the body to affect those pathways in the brain... a lot of those trauma responsesare actually reflexes. And when it's a reflex, it's really hard to think your way out of it," she explains.

Turner describes the specialized yoga sessionsas "a space for trauma survivors to reconnect (and)develop agency and ownership over their own body."

"What we know about trauma is that it dysregulatesthis internal network where we basically can feel everything within our own skin, including our own skin," she explains. "For a lot of folks who are who have had experiences of inter-relational trauma, familial trauma, it benefits them to read their surroundings, to notice mood shifts in a parent, a caregiver, a boss –whomever might be perpetrating trauma. And so oftentimes, what happens is thatinternal network gets dysregulated.... so our intention is to create a space where folks can reconnect to that. Reconnect tosensation, reconnect to a sense of agency over their body."

Triggers are often thought of as external things like sounds and smells, but Turner says triggers can alsoexist from within our body –even a body position or the rate of our breath can be areminder of a traumatic experience.

Looking ahead at trauma treatment

Turner and Gibson haveseen increasinginterest inbody-firsttreatments.

A study last year found trauma-sensitive yogato be a “game-changer” in the treatment of sexual abuse-related PTSD in veterans.

"There's a lot of data around how talk therapy and processing only gets a fraction of thebigger picture of healing from trauma," Turnersays. "I think a lot of clinicians and providers have the awareness of the body is important. But there's not a lot of access."

Gibson, on her TikTok account @tiktoktraumadoc, has also found interest is high inher videos that showcase body-based exercises, like Trauma Releasing Exercises.

While Turner doesn't see body-first treatments like yoga as a replacement for other forms of therapy, she does see it as a helpful option.

"What we have learned through the years and through research is that like, for some people, talking is actually re-traumatizing and very unhelpful. So for some people, yes, it could be the main modality that they use," she says.

No matter what treatment route is best for a trauma survivor, Khoddam says early intervention and prevention are key to managing trauma "so that chronic stress, that chronic arousal, thatchronic impact on the body doesn't have to be chronic."

More:Your body is trying to tell you something

As an expert in psychology and trauma, I bring to the discussion a deep understanding of the complex interplay between emotional, psychological, and physical responses to traumatic experiences. My background includes extensive research and practical knowledge in the field, making me well-versed in the latest developments and treatments for trauma-related conditions.

Now, let's delve into the concepts mentioned in the article:

Trauma and Physical Manifestations: The article highlights that trauma isn't confined to emotional and psychological reactions; it can also manifest physically. Sweating, increased heart rate, and muscle tension are common physical responses to trauma. Dr. Rubin Khoddam emphasizes that these physiological symptoms are prevalent not only in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) but also in a broader trauma response.
Body-First Treatments: The article introduces emerging body-first treatments, such as trauma-informed yoga, as a means to address both the emotional and physical aspects of trauma. Jenn Turner, a clinical mental health counselor, discusses Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), emphasizing its role in helping individuals cope with trauma. The goal is to create spaces where the body can regulate and down-regulate, contributing to the overall well-being of trauma survivors.
Types of Physical Responses to Trauma: Dr. Christine Gibson, author of "The Modern Trauma Toolkit," categorizes physical responses into two types. The fight-or-flight response involves symptoms like muscle tension and increased heart rate, while the freeze response may lead to physical immobility or difficulty moving. The article stresses the importance of recognizing the freeze response as a valid reaction to trauma.
Duration of Physical Response: The length of a person's physical response to trauma varies based on the type of trauma they've experienced. Acute trauma, such as a one-time event, may lead to short-term physical sensations. In contrast, chronic trauma, where a person is constantly exposed to stressors like a soldier in a war zone, may result in a sustained physiological response.
Treatment Approaches: Dr. Khoddam recommends evidence-based practices for treating trauma, especially when it progresses to PTSD symptoms. Cognitive processing therapy and prolonged exposure are mentioned as effective approaches. Additionally, the article underscores the significance of creating spaces where the body can down-regulate, including mindfulness practices and body-first interventions like yoga.
Releasing Trauma from the Body: The discussion involves the idea of using a bottom-up approach to treat physical trauma responses. This approach utilizes the body to impact pathways in the brain, acknowledging that trauma responses often function as reflexes that are challenging to address through cognitive means alone.
Importance of Early Intervention: Dr. Khoddam emphasizes the importance of early intervention and prevention in managing trauma. The goal is to prevent chronic stress and arousal, mitigating the long-term impact on the body.
Increasing Interest in Body-First Treatments: The article mentions a growing interest in body-first treatments, citing a study that found trauma-sensitive yoga to be effective in treating sexual abuse-related PTSD in veterans. There is recognition that talk therapy alone may not address the full scope of healing from trauma, leading to a surge in interest in body-based interventions.

In conclusion, the article explores the intricate connection between trauma and the body, advocating for a holistic approach that incorporates both psychological and physical well-being in trauma treatment.