Table of contents:
- Chronic illness can be the result of childhood trauma
- Why is that?
- Trauma may recur at any time
- How to reduce the impact of past trauma
- 1. Recognize trauma symptoms
- 2. Calm down
- 3. Express emotions
- 4. Stories to trusted people
- 5. Consult a doctor or therapist
Experiencing a traumatic event is tough for anyone, male and female. Especially if this condition has been experienced since childhood, the recovery process will certainly be more difficult and take longer. Making peace with past trauma is not easy, but it needs to be healed as soon as possible. Not only undermining mental health, the impact of prolonged trauma can also affect your physical condition as an adult. One of them triggers a chronic disease that is difficult to cure.
Chronic illness can be the result of childhood trauma
During this time, you may think that chronic disease can only be caused by physical conditions that are not good or unhealthy lifestyle. For example, smoking, rarely exercising, eating carelessly, and so on.
The fact is not that simple. Without realizing it, the pain to physical disabilities that you are experiencing at this time could be the result of your trauma in the past.
This surprising finding comes from a study in the Journal of Pain in 2016. According to this study, initiated by Robert R. Edwards and his team, the impact of past traumas that are not immediately healed is quite serious, doubling the risk of chronic disease.
Children who experience traumatic events from childhood have an up to 97 percent risk of developing chronic disease as adults. The causes of the trauma can vary. Starting from sexual harassment, verbal violence, emotional violence, parental divorce, addictive substance abuse, to the death of a parent.
Why is that?
The impact of trauma and emotional stress is very heavy for those who experience it. Especially if you have been harboring this trauma since childhood, the consequences can be far more serious and carry over to adulthood.
Prolonged stress not only affects mental health, but also invites various diseases in the body. This has to do with how the brain works when it responds to the trauma we experience.
Trauma, both physically and emotionally, triggers the body's stress response, making you more alert to external threats. When you experience extreme fear, your body's nervous system will be very active to protect itself from harm. Trauma experts call this a stage hyperarousal or excessive stimulation.
Once the trauma has subsided, the over-stimulation of the nervous system will gradually decrease, so you will feel much calmer. However, make no mistake. The residual stimulation and traumatic injury that you experienced will remain and even continue to make an impression on your body.
Trauma may recur at any time
On closer examination, the brain may release this over-stimulation at any time, especially when you have a bad event later in life. If allowed to continue, the nerve tissue in the brain can be damaged and lead to chronic disease in several parts of the body.
For example, you have felt very lost and traumatized because your parents died when you were a child. Years later, you will have to swallow bitter again when the closest person, namely your spouse, dies in an accident.
When this bad experience recurs, a sense of trauma that has been hidden for a long time, aka inactivity, will come back to the surface. The brain will start producing chemicals and stress hormones to release the pain that gets stronger.
This pain not only disturbs the nervous system of the brain, but can also spread to other parts of the body. Over time, this can lead to chronic disease.
A psychiatrist in Australia, dr. Michelle Atchison, says that the earlier you are when you experience trauma, the more likely you are to be affected complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD).
CPTSD symptoms are certainly more severe than PTSD symptoms, in fact the symptoms can be very difficult to detect from the medical side. This is because the symptoms are similar to those of various other chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, chronic bronchitis and asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, to psoriasis.
How to reduce the impact of past trauma
It is not easy to reduce or even forget all the bad experiences in the past. However, this does not mean that you will continue to allow this trauma to exist even to trigger chronic disease, right?
Relax, here are the steps you can take to heal the disturbing trauma:
1. Recognize trauma symptoms
In order for you to be better able to control the trauma response that can occur at any time, recognize the signs of a trauma reaction in your body. The body that begins to stress due to trauma is usually characterized by:
- Pain that lasts longer than other people
- Persistent headaches and stomach aches for no reason
- Drug and alcohol dependence
- Having an eating disorder
- Often hurts yourself
- Withdrawing yourself from other people
- Excessive anxiety
- Insomnia
2. Calm down
As soon as symptoms of trauma appear, calm yourself immediately with breathing exercises. Sit in the position you are most comfortable with, then breathe in slowly.
While closing your eyes, inhale deeply through your nose and exhale as slowly as possible through your mouth. Feel the positive energy entering your body and let your muscles relax.
3. Express emotions
Remember, you don't have to bother covering up your feelings, you know. Just spill it if you can't stop it. It doesn't matter if you want to get angry or cry to vent any emotions.
However, that doesn't mean you can throw tantrums or hurt people around you, huh. It's a good idea to express your emotions by journaling, drawing pictures, or playing music. Talking or writing about your experiences can help reduce the impact of your trauma.
4. Stories to trusted people
If you feel comfortable telling other people, just do it. Share your problems and bad experiences only with people you trust. Whether it's parents, siblings, or closest friends. Ask for their support to help you get out of the trauma.
5. Consult a doctor or therapist
If you have done various things but are still traumatized, it's time for you to see a doctor or therapist. You may be advised to do certain therapies to treat childhood trauma.
By doing therapy regularly, you will be better able to manage your emotions and suppress the trauma reaction that can recur at any time. The doctor will also examine your health thoroughly to prevent the risk of chronic disease.
This method cannot 100 percent cure the trauma and risk of chronic disease that you experience. However, at least this can help reduce the impact of trauma that haunts your life.
