The other day I mentioned my experience with hurricane trauma reactions being triggered by the recent storms. It’s hard covering everything in a short letter.
Another aspect of trauma reactions are ‘body memories’. Although my mind had forgotten and blocked out some recollections, my body hadn’t.
My body remembers the experiences it’s gone through. It recalls aches, pains, soreness and other sensations and even smell. It reminded my re-activating some sensations.
You may wonder where do these things come from? They come from nerves. Those same body parts responsible for mental memories are behind body memories.
You can’t always predict when they are triggered. One day, clear out of the blue you may feel fear or some of sensation you can’t explain. There’s a reason for this. That reason is body memories.
Nerve cells cover your body, inside and out. They record and ‘remember’ what’s happened to them. They remember when you’ve been mishandled, when you’ve been hit or choked, even when you don’t.
There are some areas of your body that have large concentrations of nerve cells. These large concentrations even perform a type of thinking.
This is why ‘gut reactions’ and ‘thinking with your heart’ are real concerns. The large concentration of nerve cells in those areas process sensations.
In case you are wondering, yes, I am a believer in following your ‘gut’ reactions. Your gut knows things your brain may not.
There are times when your body remembers things that your mind doesn’t. With severe trauma, your mind may have totally blocked out awareness, but your body recalls it. That can make you feel crazy.
You experience a sensation, when you can’t identify a reason for it. This disconnect often leads you to dismiss the sensation. Those sensations may be telling you something you need to be aware of.
Your body is reminding you that some area needs closure after what you’ve been through.
If your body is saying one thing about the affair, while your mind remembers something else, you could be stuck in Affair Trauma. The video, “Overcoming Affair Trauma” guides you in getting unstuck and moving past this. You can get yourself back together with a little help.
Best Regards,
Jeff
