Trauma brings so much to mind for so many people because lots of individuals suffer little and big trauma throughout their lives. Whether it is wartime trauma, losing a loved one, a child, or suffering from abuse and neglect, it seems life is full of traumatic experiences. Unresolved trauma, big or small, can lead to some challenging situations, including mental health issues, addiction, and other things that can derail a person’s life.
How Trauma Hurts
Traumatic events are defined by people’s ability to cope. Or more, the lack of ability to cope because the situation is so devastating it is difficult to deal with so the brain and body shut down in various ways. When the mind is flooded with emotions, it throws a circuit breaker that keeps the person surviving, until they start to be flooded with all the emotions that were shut off. People unconsciously stop feeling trauma like a movie that is still going. It is difficult to heal until people move fully through the trauma. It is overwhelming to the person, but also those around them who struggle to help them deal with the trauma.
Unresolved Trauma
The body reacts to danger in a moment where trauma is strongest. The body is flooded with adrenaline to cope. When the experience is overwhelming, there is a third survival strategy, which is to freeze. When people freeze, they detach and leave the space for a while and keep that thing away from the mind so as not to feel threatened. The person stops being present to the trauma and dissociates. Dissociation gets people through trauma but freezes all the emotions, resulting in ll effects. People can suffer spiritually, physically, and emotionally as a result.
Unlocking Hope
When dealing with trauma’s effects on the body, it is important to understand the coping mechanisms the body and brain may use, including:
- Mental health issues
- Addiction
- Co-dependency
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Fear
There are myriad other things trauma does to a person’s mind and body, but when looking at it from a healing perspective, there is a need to start the healing journey that cannot begin if addiction and mental health issues are overriding the healing. Seeking treatment is the best way to find hope and healing from addiction. The healing begins with doing some therapeutic work with trained therapists who understand the dual diagnosis. If mental health is not a huge component, it may be that it is symptomatic of the addiction, which is a result of having suffered trauma. To unlock potential for healing means detox from drugs or alcohol first, mental health support, medical support with medication management, then rehab and recovery. This journey helps unlock the potential for healing and sets a person on the path to success in helping their body and mind open to possibilities again.
The Guest House is based on a Therapeutic Communty model. We help people learn how to live free of addiction. Our community support provides structure while trained counselors offer life skills training and therapeutic techniques to help you move past addiction. Our program provides special focus for professionals including chiropractors, nurses, doctors, lawyers, and more who need help with addiction recovery. Call us to find out more: 855-483-7800.