Trauma survivors often have difficulty expressing their emotions from "summary" of The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
Trauma survivors often have difficulty expressing their emotions, their inner experiences, and their bodies often speak the unspeakable. The body is the medium through which we register and express our emotions. To go through life without experiencing feelings is to be cut off from an essential part of the self. Emotions powerfully affect our bodies, and the reverse is true as well. When we are upset, our bodies produce chemical reactions that help us deal with the situation at hand. These reactions are an essential part of the stress response, preparing us to fight or flee. Trauma interferes with this process by leaving a legacy of physical reactions that can be confusing and difficult to understand. The inability to be fully alive in the present keeps people locked in a cycle of reenactment. Neural circuits that were laid down in the past and that were shaped by our emotional experiences can keep us from living in the moment. To overcome this challenge, trauma survivors need to learn to listen to their bodies once again. They need to learn to take the energy bound up in physical symptoms and find words and actions that can give meaning to the experience. By engaging the thinking part of the brain, they can learn to put feelings into words and transform sensations into manageable emotions. In order to move beyond trauma, survivors must learn to recognize and tolerate their bodily sensations. They must learn to make the connection between their emotions and their physical experiences. When emotions are expressed freely and clearly, when they are understood and accepted, they can help people make sense of their lives. Emotions are essential to our survival, helping us to respond appropriately to the challenges we face. By learning to express their emotions, trauma survivors can begin to live fully in the present and create a better future for themselves.
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