Let's Talk About... TRAUMA
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Trauma - which is any event, or series of events, which we ourselves internally perceive as traumatic - affects the delicate balance in every system in our body.
Our adrenal glands release adrenaline (a hormone from our Endocrine System), which triggers the fight/flight response in our entire body and we flip into functioning from our Sympathetic Nervous System.
Now this chain of events as a one off, appropriate bodily response is awesome. We can flee a burning building, we can fight off a predator to save our lives.
However, experiencing this when there is an unknown or insidious danger, or in a cumulative way, puts our body under enormous pressure. It does its best to function as per normal, but it comes at great cost.
Our adrenal glands continue to release adrenaline. Our Cortisol (stress hormone) levels rise. We function from survival mode - the nervous system staying in the Sympathetic (not calm!) mode, shutting down our brains ability to learn, adapt, process and integrate information.
The ongoing stress on our Adrenals means that our reproductive hormones become out of balance.
Did you know that 30-50% of a reproductive age women’s sex hormones are produced by the Adrenals???
And so we experience a range of symptoms such as PMS, irregular cycles, heavy blood loss, painful periods, exhaustion, brain fog, depression, anxiety, mood swings, rage, self-harm and suicidal ideation.
How do I know this?
Firstly, I have a lot of knowledge in this area. But really, all the learning in the world has been nothing compared to my own lived experience of everything listed above.
What led to my experience of trauma will be different to yours.
It could be the day in day out of chronic illness. It could have been due to domestic violence. It could have been in childhood due to treatment from carers. It could have been due to one cataclysmic moment. It could have been a series of seemingly small moments that took away your sense of safety.
It could have been all of the above.
What I want you to know is that it is possible to heal trauma.
The events cannot be erased.
They can be healed and transformed internally into the seeds for growth.
The body can heal and come back into balance.
You can learn from those who have walked ahead of you.
Including me.
I am going to begin being more open with my trauma journey. I will be sharing much more than awful memories, because they are no longer who I am. I will be sharing my healing journey so that you can learn from my mistakes and my knowledge.
Jo ❤️







