Understanding Trauma and Your Nervous System: A Simple Guide

Have you ever felt like your body reacts to stress in ways that seem out of your control?
That’s because our nervous system can be impacted when we have experienced trauma. 
Trauma isn’t just something we experience in our minds — it affects our bodies too.

So, what exactly is trauma? It’s any event or series of events that overwhelms your ability to cope, like a car accident, the loss of a loved one, or chronic stress. When this happens, your nervous system goes into overdrive to protect you, activating your “fight or flight” response. This is a natural survival mechanism, but when it’s triggered too often or too intensely, it can leave us feeling on edge, anxious, or disconnected from our emotions.

Our nervous system is made up of two main parts: the sympathetic and the parasympathetic systems. The sympathetic system is the one that gets you ready to fight or run from danger. The parasympathetic system is the one that helps you calm down afterward. When trauma occurs, the sympathetic system can get stuck in "on" mode, making it hard to relax and feel safe.

The good news? With the right support, treatment and care, we can help our nervous system to feel more safe and calm again. We can learn that nervous system that it does not need to be in ‘alarm mode’ all the time - It’s ok to relax and recharge,
Also, practicing deep breathing, grounding techniques, or even talking to someone you trust can help bring your nervous system back into balance.

Have a look here to find a recorded breathing exercise to guide your nervous system into a more relaxed state.

Do you want to learn more about the options for trauma treatment?
Have a look here