Fight, flight, freeze, and fawn
Are you familiar with these nervous system responses? This is your nervous system on trauma.
There are two phases of trauma
In phase one trauma, one side of the brain goes “offline” and the other side takes over in an effort to find an immediate solution resulting in a fight or flight response. This presents as hypervigilance, high anxiety, and an inability to see the bigger picture, among other symptoms.
In phase two trauma, both sides of the brain go “offline” to protect you from fully experiencing the trauma. This looks like freezing or fawning. Freezing has the tone of checking out or numbing, while fawning is when you abandon yourself in an attempt to create or keep harmony in the situation (people-pleasing fits into this response).
Examples of phase 1 and phase 2 trauma
Have you ever noticed having a hard time focusing on someone when they are speaking to you directly? Maybe you know the words they are saying, but you are somewhere else or cannot “compute” what they are saying. This is phase two.
ADD and ADHD can be coping mechanisms as a result of trauma – something in the past was “too hard” to focus on, so your brain learned to "exit" that moment and put your attention to something else.
Phase one trauma is linked to symptoms/experiences/disorders like high anxiety or OCD. The individual feels they must take some kind of action or complete a sequence of actions in order to be able to finally rest – even if the action is obsessively overthinking something that may happen in the future.
Your body keeps the score
What happens when you don't repair this pattern? Your body relies on these reactions each time you experience something that reminds your body of the initial event.
Our bodies record and remember everything – even if our mind doesn't. Your brain will sometimes override memories to protect you from having to go back into the event. While this is a coping tool to help, when old trauma is left unchecked, it begins to rule the way you operate in the world.
If you find yourself repeating patterns or attracting the same kind of scenarios in your life over and over again, it is likely a signal that you have something ready to resolve. I'll say that again – it's READY to be resolved. Ready for you to reconnect with your true self. Your true self is the version of you living freely and through love.
In my healing sessions, I work with my clients to uncover the root of their pain and heal it with Emotional Polarity Technique™. Many clients come to me after trying "all the things." I did, too, and then I found EPT™. If you're ready for a new, true-to-you life, I encourage you to book a session or a free consultation.
About Emotional Polarity Technique (EPT™)
EPT™ is an innovative holistic emotional healthcare system that offers you fast relief from the stress in your body, mind, and relationships through a practical and collaborative process.
Here's how EPT™ works to reduce physical and psychological stress:
1. Identifying Exactly Where Emotional Imbalances are Existing in the Body
2. Targeting the Root Conflict that Caused the Imbalance
3. Interrupting the Associated Emotional Patterns and Resolving the Past Conflict
4. Addressing Trauma and the Nervous System
5. Integrating Body, Mind and Spirit
6. Promoting Self-awareness and Empowerment
Read more about my approach and personal philosophy on healing here.