Self-Care and Trauma
Many people do not realize the importance of self-care as it relates to trauma. van der Kolk states that, “Nobody can ‘treat’ a war, or abuse, rape, molestation, or any other horrendous event, for that matter; what has happened cannot be undone, but what can be dealt with are the imprints of the trauma on the body, mind, and soul” (2015, p. 205).
The effects that trauma has on our bodies can be mentally, emotionally and physically debilitating. It can cause a crushing sensation in your chest that you may label as anxiety or depression; a fear of losing control; always being on alert for danger or rejection; self-loathing; nightmares and flashbacks; a fog that keeps you from staying on task and from fully engaging in what you are doing; being unable to fully open your heart to another human being (van der Kolk, 2015, p. 205).
Trauma affects our entire being and affects how we relate and connect to others. When one suffers the effects of trauma, it is imperative to deal with the imprints it has left on our bodies, minds and souls to live a happy and healthy life.
Van der Kolk stated that, “the fundamental issue in resolving traumatic stress is to restore the proper balance between the rational and emotional brains, so that you can feel in charge of how you responds and how you conduct your life” (2015, p. 207). There are many methods one can use to deal with the effects of trauma.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) relies on the idea “that when patients are repeatedly exposed to the stimulus without bad things actually happening, they gradually will become less upset; the bad memories will have become associated with ’corrective’ information of being safe (van der Kolk, 2015, p. 222-223). It was originally used to treat phobias but has often been used to treat PTSD.
Van der Kolk explains that, “we may think we can control our grief, our terror, or our shame by remaining silent, but naming offers the possibility of a different kind of control” (2015, p. 234). Communication with one’s self is key to awareness. This communication can be writing, art, talking, music or dancing. Talking with yourself and sharing it with others makes one feel like a member of society again. Once a person begins to share, they are able to open themselves up to loved ones and begin to mend and strengthen those relationships as well.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is yet another effective method to deal with trauma. In EMDR, one goes back to the trauma and brings to mind the images of it, the sounds and thoughts that went along with it. Then, they follow the therapist’s finger as it is moved slowly back and forth about twelve inches from the right eye, stopping every few minutes to take a deep breath and pay attention to what is on their mind; and repeating the process numerous times (van der Kolk, 2015, p. 251).
“One of the ways the memory of helplessness is stored is as muscle tension or feelings of disintegration in the affected body areas: head, back and limbs in accident victims, vagina and rectum in victims of sexual abuse” (van der Kolk, 2015, p. 267). Yoga is an especially effective method to combat the muscle tension and feelings of disintegration. Yoga is a series of movements that is posture-based. It is also a form of meditation to relax and reconnect with oneself. It allows the parasympathetic nervous system work in tandem with the sympathetic nervous system to balance the body.
Trauma can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to stay that way. The first step to recovery is realizing there is trauma that needs to be dealt with and the want to deal with it. As van der Kolk notes, “silence about trauma also leads to death – the death of the soul (2015, p.234).”
Van der Kolk, B. A. (2015). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. New York: Penguin Books.