Trauma is complex and can have a profound effect on all parts of your being as it not only affects you mind, but it also impacts your body as a whole. In other words, your mental and physical health are usually both affected by trauma.
What is trauma? Simply put, it is a severe injury. Examples of physical trauma include broken bones, a lost limb and a collapsed lung. Meanwhile, psychological trauma can result from one or more distressing events, such as experiencing or watching someone else experience violence or being in a threatening situation, particularly when it is or appears impossible to escape from those circumstances.
There are several ways in which psychological trauma is stored in the body, and its natural healing process will often result in it doing things that can be distressing but that are actually good signs.
Table of Contents
Physical Signs of Trauma Release
Shaking or Trembling
Shaking or Trembling: Shaking or trembling can occur when your body releases energy that has built up because of your traumatic experience. This may occur during meditation, yoga, or at any time, as your body processes residual responses from a past fight or flight activation.
Sweating or Shivering
You might sometimes feel especially hot or cold and experience that through sweating or shivering as your body processes your traumatic experiences.
Muscle Tension and Release
Muscle Tension and Release: Trauma can cause your muscles to feel tense, and muscle twitching may occur as well. Conversely, a release of that tension is a sign of trauma also being released, which often results in a state of deep muscle relaxation.
Changes in Breathing Patterns
Changes in Breathing Patterns: Long sighs, yawning, and deep breaths can be indications of trauma release. This is in contrast to the shallow or rapid breathing that often results after someone has suffered a traumatic experience. A couple of ways to intentionally cultivate positive breathing patterns include engaging in yoga or meditation, and specifically, practicing targeted breathwork techniques.
Digestive Changes
Trauma may cause irritable bowel syndrome, cramps, acid reflux, bloating and changes in your appetite. As you heal from trauma, your diet and stomach should both improve, resulting in a reduction of those symptoms.
Sleep Disturbances
Many who have suffered trauma experience changes in their sleep patterns, often resulting in shallower sleep or less of it. This is partially because your brain while believing that you are still in danger will not let you sleep as fully as you otherwise would. Vivid dreams or nightmares can occur as well as your mind processes what happened. Conversely, when your trauma is being released, your sleep improves, a sign that your mind has determined that you are safe again.
Emotional and Psychological Signs of Trauma Release
Emotional Surges
One of the common indications that someone is releasing trauma is the experiencing of emotional surges. These can be manifested through crying, laughing and intense emotions, such as fear, sadness, anger, irritability, joy and relief. Mood swings may occur as well.
Flashbacks or Intrusive Thoughts
A way that the body stores and processes traumatic moments is through flashbacks, relivings of that event. The lessening of this is a sign of healing.
Increased Sensitivity
An indicator of someone processing trauma is increased sensitivity, to often feel overwhelmed by things that had not caused that feeling in the past or otherwise experiencing sensory overload. Perhaps loud noises or bright lights now overwhelm you when they had not before. That is your mind processing this new emotional landscape, and it decreasing is your brain showing that it has effectively done so.
Changes in Thought Patterns
Shifts in your perspective on things or the emergence of long-forgotten memories are indications of trauma release.
Feelings of Vulnerability and Openness
Trauma oftentimes causes a person to feel much more vulnerable and open than they had before.
Behavioral Signs of Trauma Release
Changes in Social Interactions
In many cases, a traumatized person will experience an increased need for solitude, more of a desire for connection or, paradoxically, both as the brain processes how to react to that traumatic experience and how to keep you safe.
Changes in Appetite or Eating Habits
Changes in your appetite or eating habits can occur, and this may happen in either direction, whether eating a lot less or a lot more than had been the case before the traumatic incidents, while the types of foods and drinks that are being consumed may be altered as well. To help your trauma release be as effective as possible, consume as healthy of a diet as possible.
Increased Self-Care Behaviors
Engaging in increased self-care behaviors is a positive sign of trauma release. This can be done through spending time with those you care for, engaging in diaphragmatic breathing, journaling and setting healthy boundaries.
Changes in Energy Levels
Another way that trauma release occurs is through considerable changes in your energy levels. A couple of examples include experiencing sudden bursts of energy and periods of overwhelming fatigue.
Seeking Out Supportive Environments
Seeking out supportive environments is one of the ways that the brain shows that it is effectively processing the traumatic event. This can include cultivating a positive home environment and social life, seeking the assistance of a psychologist or joining a support group.
Supporting the Trauma Release Process
Create a Safe and Supportive Environment
Feeling safe and supportive is an especially important part of the trauma release process, and you should ensure that you are surrounded by those who help you experience feelings of safety and support.
Grounding Techniques
Grounding techniques, such as breathing deeply, spending time in natural settings or otherwise taking part in calming activities, support the trauma release process. Meanwhile, taking note of your five senses, things that you can see, touch, hear, smell and taste, can ground you in the midst of a more urgent situation, such as a panic attack.
Somatic Practices
Somatic Practices: Physical activities that may assist with the release of trauma include yoga, dance, and tai chi. These practices can strengthen your immune system and help you process pent-up energy. Additionally, for those seeking a more targeted approach, exploring somatic therapy or techniques like somatic experiencing could provide deeper support in addressing trauma stored within the body.
Mindfulness and Meditation
Mindfulness, focusing on the sensations and environment that are currently being experienced, and meditation, narrowing your focus to just one thing, can relax your brain and body and assist them in processing the trauma.
Seeking Professional Help
Seeking Professional Help: Embarking on a healing journey often involves seeking professional help. Various therapeutic approaches, including psychotherapy and techniques like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), can assist in reprocessing traumatic experiences. Addressing trauma through guided body awareness and self-awareness can be more effective than attempting to navigate it alone, fostering overall well-being. Professionals can also help integrate various techniques to address related issues like chronic pain and complex emotional responses tied to painful memories. Integrating these therapies can support a more effective and supported healing experience.
Importance of self-compassion
Self-compassion is one of the most important things that you can do as your brain processes your stored trauma and rewires itself and as your body also responds to these circumstances through its own physical symptoms. Most importantly, be patient with yourself and give yourself time to work through this. During this period, things will not be as easily done as they used to be, and that is to be expected and is okay.
When to Seek Professional Help
Overwhelming or Intensely Distressing Symptoms
If you feel overwhelmed or intensely distressed by your symptoms, you may want to consult an experienced professional to assist you with dealing with your trauma release.
Persistent Flashbacks or Nightmares
Professional assistance can help if flashbacks or nightmares persist.
Difficulty Functioning in Daily Life
If you are experiencing difficulty functioning in your daily life, particularly if this has continued for weeks, it may be necessary to utilize professional help in order to help you get past this stage.
Co-Existing Conditions
Those who are not only processing trauma but also struggling with substance abuse should note that professional support will likely be necessary to help them effectively handle those simultaneous struggles.
Suicidal Thoughts or Self-Harm
If you have suicidal thoughts or are engaging in self-harm, you should consult a professional to help you deal with your trauma release in a safer manner. If the situation is urgent, call 988 or 911.
Conclusion
Individuals who have experienced past trauma should prioritize self-compassion and patience, recognizing that trauma release symptoms and their effects on the nervous system and body feels are normal. This is the body’s way of processing and healing. It’s understandable to struggle with mental health, even without prior experience, as unresolved trauma manifests in diverse ways.
There is hope for trauma recovery. Trauma survivors can find healing, even when it feels distant. Understanding trauma is the first step toward wellness. Recognizing that body releases trauma through physical sensations and emotional releases is crucial. Creating a sense of safety is paramount for healing. For those grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), seeking professional trauma therapy, which might include CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), can be transformative in addressing traumatic memories.
If you are suffering from an addiction, Allure Detox can help. We provide trauma-informed care and effectively treat co-existing conditions, considering medical, psychiatric, chemical, and traumatic experiences to create personalized treatment plans. A non-judgmental, welcoming environment awaits you.
Published on: 2025-03-06
Updated on: 2025-03-06
