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“Trauma is something that many of us have had some kind of experience with.

Have you experienced it too?

According to a study published in the Journal of Traumatic Stress, approximately 70 percent of adults in the United States have or will experience a traumatic event in their lives.

Though trauma usually affects our minds, it can also impact our bodies.” ~ Psych2Go

Here are some physical manifestations of past trauma that most people miss:

1. Fight-or-flight 

When we’ve experienced trauma, we subconsciously start to feel like there are threats around every corner. Physical responses can look like: hypervigilance, feeling unsettled, agitation. These responses can stem from a past trauma that was physical or emotional.

2. Chronic fatigue

Our bodies are not designed to operate under high levels of stress/trauma for long periods of time. It is draining. Fight-or-flight is supposed to happen in quick bursts and then subside. Studies have shown that those who suffer from PTSD are eight times more likely to also experience chronic fatigue. Do you find yourself feeling this way?

3. Chronic pain

There are countless studies on the mind-body link. If your body is constantly depressed by the effects of trauma, you’re going to notice it physically. Laura Kiesel did a study in 2018 that showed:

“The more adversities an individual experienced as a child—whether poverty, parental death or incarceration, neighborhood violence, or abuse—the more likely that person would suffer from serious physiological disorders as an adult.”

4. Gastrointestinal distress

Good ol’ GI problems…

Do you struggle with bloating, nausea, or abdominal pain? If so, this could also be related to unresolved or past trauma. It’s a lesser-known and underrated physical manifestation of woundedness. This isn’t a random bout of the runs; this is repetitive inflammation, dysfunction, and irritation. The gut is linked closely to the brain.

5. Chronic headaches

Unless you know you have a condition that promotes migraines/headaches, you might want to consider past trauma as the cause. Your body is probably being bombarded by the past and unable to cope.

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Enjoy this video for more details and suggestions on how to heal: