🧠 The Biology of Trauma: Why You Feel the Way You Do

When we think about trauma, we often think about emotional wounds—things we can’t see but deeply feel. What’s less often discussed is how trauma literally reshapes the brain, rewires the nervous system, and impacts the body in profound ways. Understanding the biology of trauma can be a game-changer in your healing journey. It helps shift the narrative from “What’s wrong with me?” to “What happened to me—and how is my body protecting me?”

 

🔁 Trauma Is a Body Response, Not Just a Memory

Trauma doesn’t just live in your mind—it lives in your body. When you experience something overwhelming, especially in childhood, your nervous system kicks into survival mode: fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. These responses are designed to protect you. But when trauma is unresolved, your nervous system can get stuck in these patterns, long after the danger has passed.

This is why you might feel constantly on edge, numb, reactive, disconnected, or exhausted. Your body is doing its best to keep you safe, based on outdated programming. This isn’t a flaw—it’s biology.

 

🧬 How Trauma Impacts the Brain and Body

Unresolved trauma can disrupt the brain’s key structures:

  • Amygdala (the alarm system): becomes hyperactive, making you feel constantly threatened.
  • Hippocampus (memory and context): may shrink, affecting how you remember and process events.
  • Prefrontal Cortex (rational thinking and regulation): can go offline under stress, making it hard to concentrate, plan, or regulate emotions.

In the body, trauma can dysregulate the autonomic nervous system, leading to chronic stress responses. This contributes to real physical symptoms like:

  • Fatigue
  • Digestive issues
  • Autoimmune flare-ups
  • Muscle tension
  • Chronic pain
  • Hormonal imbalances

The body keeps the score—often through illness, tension, or unexplained health conditions.

 

🛠️ You’re Not Broken—You’re Wired for Survival

The good news? Your brain and body are incredibly resilient. Through trauma-informed healing practices like nervous system regulation, somatic work, breathwork, CBT, energy healing, and spiritual psychology, you can rewire your internal system. You can teach your body that it is safe again.

Healing starts with understanding. When you know what’s happening biologically, you can begin to approach yourself with compassion—not blame. You can stop asking, “Why can’t I just get over it?” and start asking, “How can I support my nervous system to feel safe again?”

You are not weak. You are not too damaged. Your body and brain have been protecting you in the best way they knew how. Healing trauma isn’t about fixing what's broken—it's about restoring balance, trust, and safety within yourself. And that healing is absolutely possible.

 

If you're ready to take the next step in understanding and healing your trauma, explore my Phoenix Coaching Collection or get in touch for personalised support.

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