In light of the recent string of arson fires in Alameda, I thought it would be valuable to talk a little about trauma and what to expect.  

A Traumatic Event (TE) is defined as the direct exposure (either through one’s own experience or witnessing) to actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation.  

What happens to us during a Traumatic Event?  
During a T.E. our fight/flight/freeze/fawn response is triggered and our brain releases powerful hormones that cause physiological changes (increased heart rate and respiration, changes in blood flow, tunnel vision, loss of hearing, shaking, etc.), so that we can be prepared to act in face of the danger.  Action (fight or flight) discharges the pent-up energy and allows our bodies to return to normal once the threat has passed.  If fight or flight are not options, often we will freeze or fawn (faint, “play dead”) and that energy caused by the hormonal changes in our bodies is not released.  After the threat has passed, animals will twitch or shake to "throw off" the built-up energy in their system thus allowing their nervous system to once again reset to normal functioning.  The problem for humans is that many of us have consciously or unconsciously learned to repress this natural process of discharging the built-up energy. What results is that this energy literally gets stored in our tissues indefinitely until something happens to release it. 

“Normal” Reactions to a Traumatic Event include:
·       Trouble sleeping (falling asleep and/or staying asleep)
·       Irritability or outbursts of anger (feeling impatient, having a low level of frustration   tolerance,  moodiness)
·       Difficulty concentrating  (troubling maintaining sustained focus, trouble with memory)
·       Hypervigilance (intense feelings of vulnerability, anticipating disaster, being overly protective or controlling)
·       Exaggerated startle response (feeling “jumpy” or tense, “scaring” easily)
·       Avoidance (going out of your way to avoid things that remind you of the T.E.)
·       Numbing (feeling disconnected, not enjoying things that you used to, not feeling your usual full-range of emotions)
·       Fatigue (physical, emotional, mental and spiritual)

Things you can do to help yourself get through the Traumatic Event:
1.    Let your body react – it knows what to do.  During a T.E., endorphins are released to fuel the flight/fight/freeze/fawn response.  We have all seen nature shows where the prey animal escapes certain death and is seen panting and shaking.  Those are normal bodily reactions to the aftermath of a T.E.  What is happening is that our body is processing the flood of endorphins and is preparing to return to its usual state.
2.    Feel all of your emotions. Let yourself feel what you feel when you feel it! You are going to experience a wide range of emotions after a T.E. It takes our minds, bodies, emotions and spirits time to process the fact that: YOU COULD HAVE DIED!  That’s a big deal and not something that you just “get over.” Different feelings are going to come up, and some may feel out of context.  That’s okay.  Allow yourself to experience them and remind your self that the T.E. is over.  It is in the past. You DID survive. 
3.    Talk about the T.E. (preferably while walking). Talking about the T.E. (in detail) is HUGELY important and helps us process the T.E. Talking helps to defuse the T.E. by processing the emotions that are still tied to it, keeping the T.E. “charged.” Talking helps to move the T.E. out of “active” memory where it stays “charged” (leaving you feeling “stuck” or experiencing flashbacks, etc.), into stored memory (where you can recall the event without having to feel like you are reliving it).  Adding bilateral stimulation (alternately stimulating the hemispheres of the brain) has been shown to help the brain process T.E.s. Walking (while swinging your arms) is a form of bilateral stimulation. The combination of walking and talking about the T.E., followed by watching and allowing our body to go through its natural discharge process, is one way that we can allow our bodies to discharge the built up energy and return to a normal state.
4.    Seek professional help. If you start to feel “stuck” or like you will never get over the trauma, or you have a prior history of trauma and/or mental illness it is a good idea to find a psychotherapist to help process the T.E. with you.  

I would like to help you. Together, we can create a treatment plan to help you move beyond the trauma and regain your life.  Please contact Melissa Bowman 510-263-8476 for a free twenty-minute consultation!