What happens in the body during trauma?

In trauma, the body is
in a state of emergency.
The body is setting off an alarm.
The person then feels very unpleasant feelings.
For every person, these feelings can be different.

Some people...

  • ... feel their heart racing or beating wildly.
  • ... start sweating heavily.
  • ... breathe faster or hold their breath.
  • ... become angry and aggressive.
  • ... become fearful and desperate.
  • ... feel helpless.
  • ... get all quiet.

When an experience is very bad and unbearable,
some people don't feel anything at all.
Or they feel like they're outside their body.
Or they are under the impression
that the experience is not happening at all.
Other people
forget the experience very quickly.

There are reactions which all people have
when they experience trauma:
They want to flee, fight or freeze.
You don't choose these reactions.
Your body does that by itself.
We call these reactions reflexes.
In an emergency, it is normal that reflexes tell the body what to do.