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Complex trauma is an accumulation of traumatic experiences across the lifespan. It can affect the brain circuitry and impact our stress response system, neurobiologically.
Our amygdala is the first responder. It is in the limbic system of our brains.When it receives information,the amygdala will screen it for potential danger.Our hippocampus is the memory centre. It helps the amygdala assess the situation by providing information from past threats.
So once the amygdala decides that it’s time to be alarmed, our stress responses system (The HPA Axis) gets initiated by the actual or perceived threat. It starts releasing a host of chemicals and hormones that are supposed to help us survive the said threat.
So we go into fight, flight or freeze. However, it is important for our systems to also interact with our prefrontal cortex which is instrumental in rational thinking, emotion regulation and decision making. Our prefrontal cortex is instrumental in disabling the HPA axis.
However, with complex trauma, these systems remain overactive. Our HPA axis is continuously flooding our system with stress hormones and the excess production leads to a state of toxic stress.
This state of toxic stress changes the way our amygdala, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex function. It’s a feeling of persistent or perpetual threat. We’re in a state of constant survival. Many describe this as feeling stuck.
Our faculties for emotional regulation, rational thinking and decision making become compromised because our state of being has been altered neurobiologically. This also includes our vulnerability to feeling disconnected, numb, dissociating etc.
Including a few minutes of somatic work can be useful. Slow stretches with yoga, diaphragmatic breathing, engaging with our bodies to mindfully be aware of its processing, recognising where we store our stress by noticing what muscle groups tense up + focusing on relieving them.
The work is ongoing but it helps with neuroplasticity. It teaches our body different adaptive coping strategies so it doesn’t have to always resort to mobilising or immobilising for survival. It helps our body feel safe again, slowly but surely.
Understanding our body’s function is key to how we communicate with our pain. Validating our experiences, caring intentionally, prioritising our well being and mindfully recognising that healing and recovery is not a linear journey. I promise you, your body is always on your side
