WHEN TRAUMA SWITCHES OFF YOUR BRAIN

I always  silently feel proud of the fact that I can write, it comes naturally, the story line flows from one line of thought to another.  So when I decided I would start a blog , I didn’t think it would be such a task.  I already had a food blog I had been working on. I just wanted to make this new blog  about psychological  experiences.  I figured, since It’s what I do everyday with my clients, it should be easy,  except  everything in me that could  create a good story went to sleep.

It really is  amazing how the mind works.  Why would a person who can function optimally, who knows exactly what they want, suddenly become lost.  Its almost like being in a movie that’s on permanent slow mo. You can see where you need to be and what you need to do to get there, but  you can’t influence the speed at which you can move.

Dr Leaf in her book ‘How to switch on your brain’  mentioned a research being carried out on the switch gene called the ‘crew gene’. These genes are apparently switched on by our thoughts. In other words, changes in our thoughts operates as signals  that activate generic expression. And this can go as far as altering a genetic code for generations. Although this  might be alot deeper than what may have been happening to me, but the basis for the research is the same.  The brain and the way we think  controls our outcome  in basically everything.

Trauma  changes alot in a person, from one’s perception to even imagination.  The memories of these experiences are the gateway for such changes. Memories  are like pictures that remind us of the past, and these pictures are not just mere representions, but a story that embodies that symbol or figure. Therefore, when certain memories are triggered, even just for a second, the experience can be likened to walking into a dark room and then having the light bulb come on for some seconds and go off again. The eyes would pick certain items in the room and then the mind would continue to try to figure out what the eyes really saw.

The, provoking thoughts that follow the above experience is the same mode, that gets  trauma enacted once there is a trigger. The feelings and emotions are brought to life and the rumination starts, should I, did I, shouldn’t I, and so on.

Secondly, because the brain goes into flight mode when emotions are overwhelming, sometimes, a person could literary take  flight from their  reality for a period of time  and no matter what effort is put into connecting with the present, getting  back to normal is almost impossible, untill the process of flight is restored or  completed.

All this could sound  bizarre, but its real. Especially for those who have lived with trauma.

Thinking back , I realise an intriguing fact, I couldn’t and I still can’t place what the exact trigger was. But I knew there had been a trigger, and  I helplessly watched my mind go back  to that place where I couldn’t function as usual.   So here I was, struggling to do the easiest of task ; write. Thankfully, the brain listens when you push hard enough. Especially when you have discovered  the right skills to push the right way. Therapy is an amazing tool for this.

When I thought of writing this blog, I thought about the many experiences that I could share and how it would shine a light in a couple of dark spots. I am confident about this, not because I am the world guru on this topic, but because I know that I belong to a society where we are yet to learn how to say our truth. So we carry this baggage of   trauma and unresolved grief around, until we hurt someone else and move on. It’s almost becoming a vicious circle.  But knowledge is power and when we open ourselves to learn, we gain the power to overcome.

I know you would want to know more and I promise to show up with so much more interesting topics on trauma and grief.  Do sign up and stay on our mailing list, so you will be the first to know when the next article arrives.  I will be glad to answer any questions too.  Leave your comments below.