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Are You F*cked Up or Just Traumatized?

en

January 30, 2025

TLDR: Discusses how trauma affects the brain and nervous system, responses to trauma like fight, flight, freeze, or dissociation, why some people struggle to heal, the role of therapy in healing, and triggers. Explores how trauma is not just in your mind but also physically stored in the body.

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In this episode of the BBC - Benson Book Club, host Via Lieta delves into the complexities of trauma and its impact on the brain, drawing insights from the book The Body Keeps The Score by Bessel van der Kolk. The discussion emphasizes that trauma is not just psychological—it's a physiological experience affecting the brain and body.

Key Themes Covering Trauma:

1. How Trauma Affects Brain Function

  • Rewiring the Brain: Trauma can drastically alter how our brains function, establishing survival mechanisms that keep us in a state of hyper-vigilance or numbness.
  • Survival Responses: The brain utilizes fight, flight, freeze, and dissociation as automatic reactions to perceived threats. Understanding these responses is crucial for recognizing how trauma manifests.

2. Healing from Trauma

  • Variation in Healing: The episode explores why some individuals seem to heal from trauma while others remain stuck. Factors such as emotional support, environment, and previous experiences play a vital role.
  • Potential Pitfalls of Therapy: Interestingly, some therapeutic practices can inadvertently worsen trauma symptoms if not approached correctly. The conversation calls for conscious therapeutic environments that emphasize present stability before delving into past traumas.

3. The Role of the Body in Trauma

  • The Connection Between Body and Mind: Lieta stresses that "your body keeps the score," referring to how our physical responses can be deeply tied to unresolved trauma. For instance, ongoing physical symptoms like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue can stem from psychological trauma.
  • Embodied Healing Techniques: Techniques such as mindfulness, breathwork, and physical movement can help recalibrate the nervous system and aid recovery.

4. Understanding Triggers and Responses

  • Identifying Responses: The episode provides insights into identifying personal trauma responses and recognizing triggers that activate these responses.
  • Flashbacks and Emotional Responses: Individuals suffering from PTSD often relive traumas through vivid flashbacks and emotional triggers, making day-to-day experiences challenging.

5. Community and Environment

  • The Importance of Surroundings: Lieta highlights how important it is to surround oneself with positive influences when healing from trauma, as our brains naturally mirror the emotional states of those around us.

Practical Applications

  • Self-Awareness in Healing: Developing awareness around one’s mental and emotional state is the first step toward understanding and processing trauma. Writing down feelings or practicing mindfulness can facilitate this awareness.
  • Seeking Professional Help: Engaging with a trauma-informed therapist can provide invaluable support, ensuring that individuals can safely navigate their past experiences without being overwhelmed.

Conclusion

The episode closes with a powerful reminder: while trauma is a painful part of many people's lives, it’s crucial to learn how to live in the present and not let past events dictate future happiness. As Lieta summarizes, “You don’t want to live your life in fear. There’s just not a life to live.”

Through open discussion on these challenges, listeners are encouraged to engage with their experiences, recognize the signs of trauma, and seek out supportive paths to healing.


This summary offers a deep reflection on trauma, its physiological effects, and practical methods for healing, fitting for anyone seeking clarity on their mental health journey.

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