Contrary to what many of us believe, you don’t have to experience a big-T trauma (ex; witnessing or experiencing violence, experiencing natural disasters, severe accidents etc) to experience trauma symptoms. Trauma can refer to anything that causes emotional distress and disruption to ones life no matter how big or small, even life experiences such as a breakup, losing a job, and being bullied. So how do you know if what you are experiencing is a trauma response?
A trauma response is our brain and bodies way of trying to make sense of and cope with stressful situations. It is a natural, involuntary, protective reaction that is meant to ensure our survival in deeply distressing moments. There are several types of trauma responses that our brain and body may engage in including.
Types of Trauma Responses
Fight: This happens when our sympathetic nervous system kicks into action and we engage in behaviors that confront or fight the perceived threat
Flight: This happens when our sympathetic nervous systems kicks in and we attempt to flee, escape, or avoid the perceived threat
Freeze: This happens when our parasympathetic nervous system dominates causing our body to immobilize or shut down while our sympathetic nervous system creates a heightened sense of activation and alertness. This may feel like detaching and numbing out.
Fawn: This happens when our sympathetic nervous systems responds in a way that leads to people pleasing and appeasement in stressful situations in order to survive the perceived threat.
We experience and feel the impact of these nervous system responses to trauma and perceived threats physically, emotionally, as well as behaviorally and cognitively through our belief systems. Have a hunch that you may be experiencing a trauma response? Here are a few common symptoms of the fight/flight/freeze/Fawn nervous system responses:
Common Symptoms our nervous system responses
Physiological: Headaches, nausea, Hypervigilence/hyperarousal, difficulty sleeping/nightmares, fatigue
Emotional: Fear, anxiety, numbness/dissociation, flashbacks, depression
Cognitive: Difficulty focusing or concentrating, racing thoughts, intrusive thoughts, forgetfulness/memory loss, negative beliefs about self and/or the world, confusion
Behavioral: avoidance, hypervigilance, changes in social interactions, maladaptive or unhealthy coping skills (substance use, self-harm etc.)
Left unaddressed long-term effects of trauma can result in more serious mental health diagnoses such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, and relational problems. If you recognize any of these signs and symptoms and have experienced a high stress or traumatic situation no matter how big or small we encourage you to seek help and support through a professional. Queen City Counseling & Consulting specializes in treating trauma in adolescents and young adults through a variety of different modalities. Please reach out to us if you have interest in seeking additional support for yourself or loved one.
