The other day I mentioned my experience with hurricane trauma reactions being triggered by the recent storms. The strong winds, dark skies and heavy rain brought back memories and feelings from previous storms I survived.
My mind knows that I’m not reliving the same hurricane, but some of the sensations in my body still react. At those times, my mind and body are out of sync with each other.
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, including the smell of wet carpet and debris that comes with storm clean-up.
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’re triggered. One day, clear out of the blue you may feel fear or some of sensation you can’t explain. There is 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 your mind doesn’t.
If someone touches you in a certain way, it can pop up those memories long after the fact. Such as being touched by someone who made you feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
Your nervous system pays close attention to what happens to you on the outside and inside of your body, day and night.
There are some areas of your body that have large concentrations of nerve cells. These large concentrations even perform a type of thinking. As weird as it sounds, your gut performs a rudimentary type of thinking.
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. Since you can’t remember what happened, your body does by bringing up those sensations.
My mind recalls the storm and brings back memories of a previous one I survived. My emotions respond to that memory. The same kind of emotion I felt then comes back with it.
When my emotional brain centers trigger my body, they bring in memories from what I’ve experienced.
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.
Keeping It Real,
Jeff
