Sometimes the signs of trauma can be challenging to recognize. In fact, research by Dr. Janina Fisher, an international expert on trauma, suggests that trauma is remembered through sensory elements, such as emotions, sensations in the body, heart rate increases and changes in breathing.
These traumatic memories are stored in the amygdala, also known as the brain's fire alarm. When the amygdala is triggered during a traumatic event, the part of the brain that houses verbal memory is shut down. This results in survivors "remembering" the trauma emotionally and somatically.
Learn about some lesser-known symptoms psychological trauma can leave behind and how to address them.Once thought to be a rare event, traumatic experiences happen to millions of people every year. In fact, according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 70% of U.S. adults have experienced trauma at least once in their lives. That’s more than 223 million people!
Discussion about trauma has increased in recent years—not only with my mental health clients, but also in the news, media, and even among my friends.
Though mostly flat in the decade between 2004-2014, Americans’ online searches for information about trauma have been substantially rising since 2016, according to Google Trends data.
With so many Americans expressing curiosity about trauma, this led me to wonder whether trauma and its symptoms are commonly understood, if I might be able to describe them, and to also reveal some of the lesser known signs and treatments of trauma.
If you’re curious about trauma or it seems intriguing, confusing, or even perplexing to you, I’m hopeful we can shed some light on the subject
What is trauma? Simply put, trauma can be caused by experiencing or witnessing an event that threatens a person physically or emotionally. These events can include childhood abuse and neglect, physical assault, sexual assault and even a global pandemic.
Trauma symptoms can result from a sudden extraordinarily stressful one-time experience or a cumulative series of ongoing stressful experiences over a period of time.
How is trauma different from PTSD?
If trauma goes unresolved, it can result in a more serious condition known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of PTSD include severe anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, and avoidant behaviors. Eventually, it can interfere with a person's relationships, work, school and ability to function effectively in their day to day lives.
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Most people are familiar with the primary symptoms of trauma portrayed on television or in the movies, such as flashbacks, nightmares, fear, anxiety, and anger.
However, there are several lesser-known symptoms of trauma that you may not have realized are trauma-related. Let’s take a look at a few of these.
Hidden signs of trauma
Few or no memories
When I meet with a client who reports that they have few or no memories of their childhood, I am typically concerned that there may have been some trauma. Although this is not always the case, memory loss may be the result of a client dissociating during a traumatic event.
According to the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, dissociation is a common defense mechanism that occurs when a person “mentally escapes” from a traumatic experience. As a result, they may not remember the trauma or any events that occurred during that period of their life.
Chronic pain
Experiencing chronic stress as the result of trauma does impact our physiological health. When threatened, the body experiences a fight, flight, or freeze survival response. If these responses remain activated over long periods—particularly when the trauma occurred during childhood— the impact can persist into adulthood, causing chronic pain.
A 2020 study on “Childhood Trauma, Adulthood Anxiety, and Long-Term Pain” assessing the connection between childhood trauma and long-term pain found that “various types of childhood trauma are possible factors contributing to anxiety and pain-related conditions in adulthood.”
Difficulty with relationships
Much of my work as a therapist revolves around dysfunctional relationships my clients are trying to resolve. When working with a client who reports a history of problems managing relationships, I become curious whether they may have experienced trauma.
Having experienced trauma can cause a person to gravitate toward unhealthy relationships and stay in them too long.
People who have experienced trauma in their childhoods may feel insecure and unlovable. As a result, it may feel familiar to spend time with people who are abusive or neglectful.
Skin problems
When we experience trauma, the body’s main stress hormone—cortisol—is activated. Cortisol boosts our energy so we can handle stressful events better, and then it also helps to restore balance after the stressor.
With trauma, the body stays in a consistent stressed state, and levels of cortisol become unstable. This stress response can reduce the water in the outer layers of skin, reducing the skin’s ability to repair and regenerate. This can lead to very dry skin, psoriasis, rosacea, and other skin problems, according to a 2017 article published in Clinics in Dermatology called “Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the dermatology patient.”
Eating disorders
You may already be aware that substance abuse can result from trauma, however it’s also important to acknowledge that eating disorders—such as anorexia and bulimia—can be symptoms of trauma as well.A study conducted in 2020 found that participants who had reported trauma exposure in both childhood and adulthood had significantly more purging behaviors than those with no trauma.
Eating disorders are about control. A trauma survivor may feel out of control or powerless after a traumatic event and use controlling food as a way to manage feelings.
How to heal trauma?
So now what can we do to address and heal trauma? The most important thing is to aim to develop healthy coping skills.
Practice mindfulness
Research has shown that practicing mindfulness is an excellent and effective way to deal with overwhelming emotions and thoughts that frequently appear with trauma.
According to the NCBI, mindfulness and yoga “are complex interventions increasingly used for trauma-related psychiatric conditions.”
Relaxation techniques
There are all types of relaxation options available today. Yoga, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation are all very good ways of dealing with symptoms of trauma. These techniques are particularly effective on the overstimulating nervous system of someone with trauma.
Journal
Keeping your thoughts and feelings trapped inside your head after trauma may not be the most helpful coping skill to have. Consider journaling about what has happened. Allow yourself to write whatever and however you want. You may find that sitting with your feelings will be restorative by itself.
Accept support
Connecting with other people, particularly people who have experienced similar things, is extremely healing. Social support is one of the most helpful (and easiest) ways to enhance resilience. Spend time with other people when you can and share experiences with them if you’re feeling up to it.
When to seek professional help
Recovering from a traumatic event is a process, and it can take time.
If you’ve experienced trauma, and find yourself dealing with any of the symptoms mentioned above or other distressing symptoms, it may be time to reach out to a licensed mental help therapist.
If you find yourself experiencing any of the following problems, you may need to find a trauma specialist:
Trouble performing tasks at home or work
Experiencing severe fear, anxiety, or depression
Experiencing terrifying memories, nightmares, or flashbacks
Isolating from and avoiding things that remind you of the trauma
Struggling to form close relationships
Feeling emotionally numb and disconnected from others
Use of or increased use of alcohol or drugs to cope
Remember that you’re not alone—trauma is a common disorder and there are many treatment options available.
If you’re concerned you may never get your life back on track, there are many proven treatments to improve your symptoms, including Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Eye Movement Desensitization, and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy.
Finding a therapist to talk with may help.
Need to find a therapist near you? Check out the SimplePractice Therapy Finder Directory to find licensed mental health therapists with availability and online booking.
