Why does trauma get stored in the body?

If you've spent any time reading about trauma online, you've probably come across this phrase:

"Trauma is stored in the body."

But what does that actually mean?

Would an ultrasound be able to find trauma in our tissues?

Not quite.

The phrase "trauma is stored in the body" is a metaphor. It does not mean that trauma exists as a physical object inside our tissues. Instead, it describes the fact that traumatic experiences are remembered not only as conscious memories, but also through changes in our nervous system, our physiology, and the way our bodies respond to the environment in the present moment.

Most of us think of memory as images from the past stored in the brain, however the concept of memory is a bit more nuanced.

One type is explicit memory - memories we can consciously recall, such as our first day at school or a holiday by the sea.

Another is implicit memory. It is unconscious and long-term memory that shapes our habits, emotional reactions, movement patterns, and physiological responses. This is why certain places, smells, sounds or body sensations can trigger anxiety without an obvious reason.

Trauma often lives in the implicit memory.

Our nervous system has one main job: to keep us alive.

When in danger, the brain reacts before we have time to think about what is happening. A small structure called the amygdala rapidly detects potential threats and activates our survival responses.

The sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system prepares the body to fight or flee by increasing heart rate, releasing stress hormones, tensing the muscles, and making our breathing faster and shallower.

If fighting or escaping is not possible, our nervous system may instead shift into freezing or collapse, other biological survival strategies designed to increase our chances of survival.

All of this happens outside of our conscious control.

In an ideal situation, once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in, deepening out breathing, softening muscles, and slowing down our heart rate. In the parasympathetic state we again feel safe enough to rest, digest and engage socially.

Sometimes this process is disrupted.

This may happen after a single overwhelming event, or after months or years of chronic stress, neglect or abuse - the nervous system continues behaving as if the danger were still present.

When the nervous system remains stuck in protection mode, it can influence both body and mind and can present as:

• chronic muscle tension

• shallow breathing

• digestive issues

• headaches or migraines

• persistent anxiety

• hypervigilance

• insomnia

• emotional numbness

• chronic pain and autoimmune conditions

Not everyone develops the same symptoms, and of course, not every condition is caused by trauma. But prolonged activation of the stress response is very costly on the body and has been associated with an increased risk of a variety of physical and mental health conditions.

Trauma also influences the brain itself.

Research by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk and others shows that trauma can affect brain networks involved in emotional regulation, body awareness, attention and memory. These changes can make it more difficult to feel safe, interpret bodily sensations accurately, and regulate emotions.

Traumatic experiences also impact how our nervous system interprets the present. Our brain is constantly using past experiences to predict what might happen next. If previous experiences taught the nervous system that the world is dangerous, it may respond to everyday situations as if they were threats, even when we are objectively safe.

This is why trauma can influence not only our thoughts, but also our posture, breathing, movement, relationships and the sensations we experience in our bodies.

Traumatic experiences often overwhelm our nervous system because they are too much, too fast, or happen at a time when we don't have enough resources or support to cope. Healing happens differently. We slow down. We create safety. We stay within what feels manageable. From this place, the nervous system can gradually process what was once impossible to process and discover that the danger has passed.

As it experiences more safety and flexibility, it can begin to access a wider range of emotions, greater resilience, and a deeper sense of aliveness.

If you would like to learn more about Somatic Experiencing and how body-oriented work can support trauma healing, you can read more here.

Feel like learning some more?

“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk

“In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness” by Peter A. Levine 

“Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past: A Practical Guide for Understanding and Working with Traumatic Memory” by Peter A Levine

Image by Inge Poelman on Unsplash