If you’ve experienced severe trauma in your life, you’ll know how hard it is to move on, to ever feel the way you did before it happened. Most of us end up with PTSD or C-PTSD depending on the severity and damage done.

Sometimes you completely lose yourself and end up down a rabbit hole. No matter how much therapy or medication, you still feel that something has gone wrong and it won’t change. One day you were happy and the next, a shadow of your former self.

In some cases, you end up with psychotic symptoms or become scared of every thing that you weren’t ever scared of, most of which aren’t linked to the trauma. You may not know but there is a reason behind it all. This may not be true for everyone but some.

The brain is a complex thing that can’t be understood no matter how much we try. There’s many parts and layers which control everything.

You’re wondering how does this relate to trauma. In the long run, trauma doesn’t just have mental effects, it has physical effects too. The frontal cortex, hippocampus and amygdala control our emotional regulation, our fear response and memories as well as a lot of other things. Trauma impacts the running of these parts, slowly they start to shrink sending them into overdrive. The amygdala which is responsible for fear, it sends out wrong signals even when there’s no danger whatsoever. It sends out triggers which lead to fight or flight, increased anxiety and stress. Over time it can mean that you’re less aware of real dangers.

Sadly, once the damage is done there’s no way of going back in time. There is hope that with time, therapy and mental healing, the brain can re-wire itself and you can potentially find a new version of who you are.

Things to remember: it’s okay to step back from your life to help yourself when things get overwhelming. Don’t pressure yourself into being like others, you’re on a different journey. Don’t rush into things if you’re not ready, it’s completely fine to cancel or postpone. If people don’t understand, they’re not worth having around. Keep those around who genuinely care and don’t let go. Also, you’re loved, whether you feel you are or you don’t.

Take care of yourself and together, we can pave way to a better and healthy life.