Trauma Impact on the Body
Why It's Important to Confront the Stress
We all know that stress can give us headaches, intestinal issues and make us tired and even depressed. However, the particular stress experienced through a betrayal trauma also known as "toxic stress" may be so severe that it has far greater negative effects on the body than we have previously given it credit for.
The moment of discovery/disclosure tends to send the mind into a state of shock where it sends the body into survival mode while the brain tries to figure out how to process the extreme information it has just been given. For that moment (or even up to a few weeks), the body is put into a chemically different state than before. This radical change can cause myriad issues moving forward and the critical process of healing then becomes one of not only psychological but physical healing as well. This component tends to get overlooked as the pain of the heart and soul seem so much more "in your face" or the physical attributes are dealt with as a separate, unrelated process.
It is important to recognize that shock is a natural and normal part of experiencing trauma. Unfortunately, trauma is not something that just goes away with time. It needs to be worked on with a professional trained in understanding how it looks and how to gently move a survivor through it. Otherwise, it could be made even worse effecting the body, spirit and mind at even greater depths.
Toxic stress can change the structure of the brain. The continual flooding of stress chemicals on the brain from reliving triggers of the trauma (also referred to by many as PTSD or a form of it) can alter the brain to respond to lesser stress as equally traumatic making the body more susceptible to injury, addiction and illness. Common physical disorders and symptoms include sleep disturbances; gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory, and dermatological disorders; urological problems; and substance use disorders.
The good news is that the brain can be healed and new responses can replace the older, more damaging ones. For this reason alone, professional help is critical in helping break the cycle; someone who is well-versed in the mind-body connection and treats the person, not the ailment.
Resources: NCMHR, December 2008, "First Aid for Emotional Trauma; NAMI, August 2017 "What You Should Know About Toxic Stress"; NCBI, "Chapter 3-Understanding the Impact of Trauma"