You might get discouraged when you think you’ve been improving but suddenly an old trauma response happens, and that’s understandable. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean you are backsliding. Often an…
Many trauma survivors assume that once they are safe, their trauma responses should disappear. Unfortunately, the nervous system does not automatically update simply because circumstances have changed. Your nervous system…
Although you are safe, you may end up shut down at times. This can happen when your nervous system notices a cue that it associates with danger. At some point…
Hypervigilance is the habit of constantly scanning for danger. It develops when a person's environment is unpredictable, unsafe, or requires them to watch carefully for signs of threat. Over time,…
Your nervous system is focused on keeping you alive. Trauma responses developed originally because they helped minimize the amount of harm you experienced. Over time these responses often became automatic.…
Trauma survivors are sometimes confused to find that understanding why a trauma response happens does not stop it. This is because trauma responses are handled by a part of the…
Although anxiety and dissociation can occur together, they often feel different. This chart highlights some common differences. AnxietyDissociation Increases awarenessDecreases awarenessActivationDisconnectionUrgencyDistanceFocused on DangerPulled away from the present experienceRacing thoughtsMental fogRapid…
People often assume trauma responses only look one way. In reality, the same behavior can serve different protective purposes in different situations. The examples below illustrate common ways trauma responses…
Trauma survivors often deal with unexpected triggers and trauma responses. These can be frightening or frustrating, especially when the reason the reaction is happening is unclear. Although this article can’t…
If you feel on edge even when nothing is happening, you may be experiencing hypervigilance. Hypervigilance is when the nervous system remains on alert and ready to respond to threats…