How Trauma Affects the Body
Trauma has Direct Physical Impacts Over Time.
There have been many studies over time that have shown that psychological trauma can have direct physical impacts on a person later in life. These physical health issues can come in a wide range. Some of the most common issues are chronic pain, heart disease, and autoimmune disorders. This happens because exposure to stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline over a prolonged period can actually weaken your immune system. This can end up causing inflammation and damage to tissues and organs over time.
Trauma can also impact the body’s ability to regulate stress and emotions, leading to chronic anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. These conditions can also increase the risk of physical health issues.
Trauma can also have a large impact on the brain’s structure and functions, which can affect someone’s physical health in many ways. For example, trauma can lead to changes in the way the brain processes and responds to pain. This can lead to chronic pain conditions. This can cause changes in the way the brain processes and responds to stress, leading to an increased risk of heart disease and other physical health problems.
People who have experienced significant trauma in their lives are at a substantially higher risk of…
- High blood pressure
- Asthma
- Cancer
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
- Autoimmune disease
- Chronic Pain
- Additional Chronic Conditions.
Body Pains/Physical Flashbacks
A common PTSD symptom many experience is physical flashbacks. People will experience physical pain symptoms they experienced in the past as if they’re happening in the present moment, despite no current injury happening to their body.