Trauma
Over the last decade there has been a significant increase in our understanding of trauma, and the lasting effects it can have on the mind and the body.
While there are now a range of clinical diagnosis such as PTSD and Complex PTSD, trauma in and of itself can have significant effects on an individual without that person necessarily having a clinical diagnosis.
To try to put it simply, when a person experiences a traumatic event, such as violence, abuse, or witnessing a traumatic event, a certain set of feelings and emotions are experienced..
Sometimes these are processed, but other times they are not, and are stored in the body.
When another event happens that evokes these same set of thoughts and feelings, a person may become triggered. At this point their mind and body may feel like they are back in that traumatic event. It becomes difficult to seperate past, present and future.
This can be why a seemingly simple event can have such an intense response.
Often it is confusing because a person may not connect that trigger to the past traumatic event.
This is different to anxiety, and as such the treatments may also be different.
Psychiatrists such as Bessel Van der Kolk have looked into non conventional ways to treat the impacts of trauma. Treatments such as trauma yoga, Neurofeedback and EMDR have been shown to be effective.
Sometimes it can be hard to access adequate support. A GP or a psychologist may be a good starting point to address the effects of trauma.
The following are additional useful resources:
Authours
Bessel van Der Kolk
https://www.besselvanderkolk.com/
Gabor Mate
Books
The body keeps the score Bessel Van Der Kolk
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18693771-the-body-keeps-the-score
Any Ordinary Day Leigh Sales
https://www.booktopia.com.au/any-ordinary-day-leigh-sales/book/9781760893637.html
This Messy Magnificent Life. Geneen Roth
https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/35721508-this-messy-magnificent-life
Man’s search for meaning Viktor Frankel
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4069.Man_s_Search_for_Meaning
Websites
Blue Knot foundation https://blueknot.org.au/
NICABM https://www.nicabm.com/
Podcasts
Diary of a CEO
9/8/2024 Trauma Doctor Reveals Every Type Of Trauma & It’s Effects In 10 Minutes
Excellent discussion on the effects of trauma. Looks at The multiple hit theory, where trauma can build up and after multiple traumatic experiences a seemingly less significant trauma can have a significant effect on a person.
Ezra Klein Podcast
24/8/2021 This conservation will change how you think about trauma
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/24/opinion/ezra-klein-podcast-van-der-kolk.html
The Drive Peter Attia
10/3/2025 Unpacking trauma: How early wounds shape behaviour and the path towards healing/ Jeff English
https://peterattiamd.com/jeffenglish/
6/3/2023 Overcoming Trauma, finding Inner Peace and living a meaningful life Lewis Holme
Raw and honest account of processing trauma
https://peterattiamd.com/lewishowes/
The Rich Roll
Episode 770 Tim Ferriss Mental health Psychedelics and Transcending Productivity.
Honest exploration of the impact of childhood trauma
https://www.richroll.com/podcast/tim-ferriss-770/
Epiosde 705 Paul Conti MD:Face And Heal the Trauma that Dictates your life
excellent podcast on the effects of trauma on both a microscopic and macroscopic level
https://www.richroll.com/podcast/paul-conti-705/
Dan Harris 10% Happier
Episode 453 An Ace Therapist gives Dan a run for his money
https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/jacob-ham-453
Episode 452 How to live with the worst things that ever happened to you
https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/stephanie-foo-452
Episode 478 Why you keep repeating painful patterns
https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/radhule-weininger-478