How Trauma Disconnects Us from Ourselves

Trauma impacts our identity and well-being deeply, causing a significant internal disconnection rather than just being about the external events we experience. Trauma isn’t solely about painful incidents like abuse, neglect, or loss; it’s more about how these events sever our connection to our emotions, bodies, and true selves. This internal disconnection leads to various psychological and physical issues, including anger and anxiety.

🍀Understanding Trauma as Disconnection

Trauma often causes us to lose touch with essential parts of ourselves. This inner disconnection results in a range of issues that affect our mental and physical health.

🍀 The Internal Impact of Trauma

1. Disconnection from Emotions and Body:
– Traumatic experiences can numb us to our feelings and physical sensations. This numbness serves as a defense mechanism to shield us from overwhelming pain, but it also causes long-term harm. People often find it hard to stay present, view themselves negatively, and put up emotional walls against others.

2. Loss of Essential Qualities:
– Trauma robs us of our essential qualities—joy, vitality, clarity, wisdom, power, strength, and courage. This loss makes it difficult to engage with life in a genuine and fulfilling way.

3. Anger and Anxiety:
– Trauma often manifests as anger and anxiety. The unresolved pain and fear from past experiences can lead to chronic feelings of anger, which is sometimes a protective response, and anxiety, which arises from a sense of danger and insecurity. These emotions can significantly impact our daily lives and relationships.

4. Present-Day Manifestations:
– Trauma’s impact isn’t just in the past; it continues to affect us in the present. It can cause ongoing problems in relationships, emotional regulation, and how we see ourselves. Understanding and addressing these ongoing effects is crucial for healing.

🍀Healing Through Reconnection

Healing from trauma means reconnecting with ourselves. This journey includes:

1. Reconnecting with the Body:
– Healing starts with reconnecting with our physical selves. Practices that promote body awareness and presence, like mindfulness, yoga, and body-oriented therapies, can help restore this connection.

2. Reconnecting with Emotions:
– It’s important to feel and express the emotions we’ve suppressed. This emotional reconnection allows us to process and integrate our traumatic experiences.

3. Finding Authenticity:
– Healing means reclaiming our true selves, which trauma has obscured. It involves rediscovering and embracing our real feelings, desires, and values.

Conclusion

These insights into trauma reveal the deep inner disconnection that traumatic experiences cause, including the development of anger and anxiety. By understanding trauma as a loss of connection to ourselves, we can appreciate the importance of practices that foster reconnection and authenticity in the healing process. This perspective shifts the focus from external events to internal healing, offering hope and a path to recovery for those affected by trauma.

If you are are struggling with unresolved anger and chronic anxiety, you would benefit by reaching out for professional help. Evelyn, a specialist in anger and trauma, offers compassionate and effective support tailored to your needs. She can guide you through the healing process, helping you reconnect with yourself and find a path to recovery.

Don’t hesitate to take this step towards healing. Contact Evelyn today to start your journey towards a more authentic and fulfilling life.

References

1. “The loss of self is the essence of trauma” – inner-flow.uk.
2. “The Essence of Trauma” – YouTube.
3. “Dr. Gabor Maté Speaks About Trauma” – Beyond Addiction.
4. “Trauma – Dr. Gabor Maté” – drgabormate.com.
5. “Gabor Maté claims trauma contributes to everything from cancer to ADHD” – The Conversation.

Citations:
[1] https://www.inner-flow.uk/blog/the-loss-of-self-is-the-essence-of-trauma
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs9neQJsAOI
[3] https://beyondaddiction.ca/2016/03/26/dr-gabor-mate-speaks-trauma/
[4] https://drgabormate.com/trauma/
[5] https://theconversation.com/gabor-mate-claims-trauma-contributes-to-everything-from-cancer-to-adhd-but-what-does-the-evidence-say-207144