Big 'T' or Little 't' Trauma: Its all TRAUMA

Most people associate psychological trauma as being activated by a big event, a car crash, sexual abuse or going to war, for instance.  These events are classed a big 'T' events and are more likely to cause the sort of ongoing emotional Trauma that leads to a PTSD diagnosis.

But in my experience, the little 't' traumas are just as damaging.  Little 't' traumas often get overlooked.  They are the events that we are supposed to just 'get over'.  Unfortunately, for some people events like non-life-threatening injuries, emotional abuse, death of a pet, bullying or the loss of a significant relationship, also become an activating event for ongoing emotional trauma. 

Let's look at physical pain/trauma as a template for emotional pain/trauma

Acute Pain:  

The pain sensation is telling you that a part of your body is damaged and needs immediate attention. 

Chronic Pain:  

This is pain that continues long after the initial trauma has healed.  The pain receptors in our nervous system remain active.

And that is almost exactly what happens in our brains ....

When we experience a traumatic event that causes emotional trauma, just as our bodies process the physical trauma by healing the wound, our brains must also process the emotional trauma.  In some people that happens within a finite time frame, either with professional help or simply with adequate time.

In other people, that emotional trauma is not processed properly and it hangs around the brain playing on a loop in the pre frontal cortex, which means that the brain and body remain on high alert.  The brain is open to being triggered and the body adopts a permanent state of 'fight or flight'.

Living in an active or underlying state of high alert is exhausting. 

So, what can we do to help the brain process new trauma?

Sleep:  Our brain does most of its processing whilst we are a sleep.

Step Back:  Give yourself space - say no to things - ask for help.

Nature:  A walk in the woods is proven to be therapeutic.

Talk:  Find someone you trust and let it all out.  Actively bottling up our feelings encourages the brain to hold on to them.

Vocalise the pain:  Shout at the sea, hum, sing or blow the pain away in much the same way as you would breathe through childbirth.

Processing old trauma ....

If you are still living with an old trauma and it is affecting your everyday life, you really need to find a therapist that will help you to process and move past the trauma.  

In Conclusion

Living with unresolved trauma takes up far too much headspace and will cause the brain to function less effectively.  There is also the risk to your physical health, living in a constant state of alert takes its toll on your muscles, leaving you tired, lethargic and sometimes in physical pain.

There is no shame in asking for help - you wouldn't live with the trauma of a broken leg, so why live with emotional trauma.  Both are relatively debilitating, both are treatable.