1.5 (C) The Mind and Trauma
The Mind and Trauma:
Trauma can be defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience, that could lead to long-term issues.
So as we discussed earlier, the mind interprets every experience we have, based upon how we’re feeling emotionally at the time. So, its about how we are feeling emotionally, that will determine whether or not something is traumatic.
So, if your mindset and emotions are set to an ultimate negative at the time of an experience, that experience can be seen as traumatic.
What may seem trivial to some, may be detrimental to another, depending on the emotional mindset of that moment.
Someone who is a perfectionist, will be more emotionally attached to ideas that may seem more trivial to another. So it would seem perfectionists may create more “mountains out of molehills”, if you will. It's only because a perfectionist will be more emotionally attached to the idea of being perfect.
This holds true for those individuals who are more sensitive as well. The more sensitive a person is, the more that person can attach to emotional experiences. As we know, we are set up to protect ourselves, so when a traumatic experience occurs, the mind will take in every aspect of that experience, and store it into the subconscious. As we go about our lives, different experiences will occur, but if there is something remotely similar about a current situation that reflects that past traumatic situation, the mind will send out signals to protect. This is where we will see things like PTSD come into play. When a trauma is so significant, sometimes many aspects of normal life get inter tangled into that past. The body remains tense, and ready to run at any moment.
Take for example, a woman who was abused as a child. Later in life, she may come across a man that she fears, and she doesn’t know why. It could be as simple as the man may have similar features or smell as her abuser, or he could have worn similar clothing as the day she was abused. It may not take much for the mind to react.
The mind doesn’t deal with trauma, the mind USES trauma as a reminder, to keep the body safe, over and over again. We weren't safe during that traumatic moment, but even when we are safe, the mind and body will want to keep us safe. Because it happened once, these signals are used to be sure we are ready, incase something happens again.
I believe this is why there ends up with so much PTSD with veterans...
Veterans have a unique bond with each other, they are special bonds, and they are emotionally attached to one another. They look out for one another, they're dedicated to the cause, but they also know fear...the same fear that they all share. So they are truly connected in a way many can’t understand. So when the worst occurs, and a fellow veteran is lost, the mind may go into overload of pain, grief, guilt, personal responsibility, and most importantly…fear. For veterans, who are taught that fear is not an option, they are human. That level of training works for what they need, but can become a catch 22 later in life. It keeps them strong there, but after they come home, they are allowed to be human again, and the experiences come back with them. Most aren’t as busy, and the mind is left open to flashback to what happened, over and over again. It’s not something they can easily forget. Even though they are safe, the mind will continue to want to protect them from that fear, and create that “danger in the mind”. The more they hold onto, the more possible triggers can build.
There are a lot of aspects with trauma, how emotionally attached a person is to begin with, then add in the level of how sensitive a person is, can make a big difference in how a person deals with any situation or experiences later on. We are not robots, as we all have feelings and emotions. And that’s ok. It’s who we are as humans.
Trauma can be defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience, that could lead to long-term issues.
So as we discussed earlier, the mind interprets every experience we have, based upon how we’re feeling emotionally at the time. So, its about how we are feeling emotionally, that will determine whether or not something is traumatic.
So, if your mindset and emotions are set to an ultimate negative at the time of an experience, that experience can be seen as traumatic.
What may seem trivial to some, may be detrimental to another, depending on the emotional mindset of that moment.
Someone who is a perfectionist, will be more emotionally attached to ideas that may seem more trivial to another. So it would seem perfectionists may create more “mountains out of molehills”, if you will. It's only because a perfectionist will be more emotionally attached to the idea of being perfect.
This holds true for those individuals who are more sensitive as well. The more sensitive a person is, the more that person can attach to emotional experiences. As we know, we are set up to protect ourselves, so when a traumatic experience occurs, the mind will take in every aspect of that experience, and store it into the subconscious. As we go about our lives, different experiences will occur, but if there is something remotely similar about a current situation that reflects that past traumatic situation, the mind will send out signals to protect. This is where we will see things like PTSD come into play. When a trauma is so significant, sometimes many aspects of normal life get inter tangled into that past. The body remains tense, and ready to run at any moment.
Take for example, a woman who was abused as a child. Later in life, she may come across a man that she fears, and she doesn’t know why. It could be as simple as the man may have similar features or smell as her abuser, or he could have worn similar clothing as the day she was abused. It may not take much for the mind to react.
The mind doesn’t deal with trauma, the mind USES trauma as a reminder, to keep the body safe, over and over again. We weren't safe during that traumatic moment, but even when we are safe, the mind and body will want to keep us safe. Because it happened once, these signals are used to be sure we are ready, incase something happens again.
I believe this is why there ends up with so much PTSD with veterans...
Veterans have a unique bond with each other, they are special bonds, and they are emotionally attached to one another. They look out for one another, they're dedicated to the cause, but they also know fear...the same fear that they all share. So they are truly connected in a way many can’t understand. So when the worst occurs, and a fellow veteran is lost, the mind may go into overload of pain, grief, guilt, personal responsibility, and most importantly…fear. For veterans, who are taught that fear is not an option, they are human. That level of training works for what they need, but can become a catch 22 later in life. It keeps them strong there, but after they come home, they are allowed to be human again, and the experiences come back with them. Most aren’t as busy, and the mind is left open to flashback to what happened, over and over again. It’s not something they can easily forget. Even though they are safe, the mind will continue to want to protect them from that fear, and create that “danger in the mind”. The more they hold onto, the more possible triggers can build.
There are a lot of aspects with trauma, how emotionally attached a person is to begin with, then add in the level of how sensitive a person is, can make a big difference in how a person deals with any situation or experiences later on. We are not robots, as we all have feelings and emotions. And that’s ok. It’s who we are as humans.