This article discusses various types of traumas and their causations. If you are a trauma survivor, we encourage you to take the necessary steps for your emotional safety prior to or after reading this article. This may include seeking comfort from a friend or family member, calling the Crisis Line at 988, or texting the Crisis Text Line at 741741. 
(NATIONAL) Our bodies and minds are designed to survive. Hundreds of thousands of years of evolution demanded it. We learned how to make fire, take down creatures that were ten times our size, and protect ourselves and our families in the wild. 
<a href="https://paleoleap.com/why-cavemen-didnt-die-young/">Experts estimate</a> 30 to 43 percent of prehistoric humans died before they were 15 years old. Even as recent as the 1500s, 1600s and 1700s, human life expectancy was only 30 to 40 years. 
Today, it’s double that. It’s safe to say, the average American no longer needs to exist in survival mode. 
According to <a href="https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/all-injuries/deaths-by-demographics/all-leading-causes-of-death/">the National Safety Council</a>, the top ten most common ways to die in 2020 included only one unnatural cause, and that was preventable injury. Heart disease and cancer were the top causes.
Despite these facts, six percent of Americans live with repeated triggering of survival mode caused by Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Nearly 5 percent will experience a <a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/panic-disorder">panic disorder</a> at some point in their lives.
These disorders are just two of many that can result from experiencing traumatic events.
<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd">The National Institute of Mental Health</a> says about one half of all U.S. adults will experience at least one traumatic event in their lives. Other disorders that result from <a href="https://app.verifiednews.network/articles/share/2884">experiencing trauma</a> include anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue or pain, Fibromyalgia, personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder, poor memory, strained relationships and trust, dissociative/identity disorder, or depersonalization/derealization disorder.
For people dealing with the mental health conditions resulting from trauma (and their loved ones), it’s important to understand the human body and ways we can work with it instead of against it. 
Oftentimes, we don’t know how to prevent trauma from resulting in major or long-term issues. The old adage ‘time heals all wounds’ is not remotely true when it comes to trauma. Simply letting time pass does not resolve it. Healing requires an active approach.
When we experience a traumatic event, our nervous system gets activated, sending a stress response throughout the body. The nervous system is comprised of two parts- the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. 
The sympathetic nervous system is the part that gets activated during times of distress, alerting the body to what it perceives to be life or death danger. This is what we need to spring into action to avoid a car wreck on the road, or to stop our kid from running into oncoming traffic. These are actual potential life or death situations. 
Unfortunately, the brain sometimes perceives a life-or-death situation that isn’t one. Sometimes we go into fight or flight mode over the vague “Can we talk?” text or an email from a boss. The brain perceives these events as life or death and thus they feel that way, but they’re not.
This is particularly true if we have experienced chronic, or repeated, trauma. The body has grown accustomed to survival mode and begins to default to that operating system, even during ordinary circumstances. 
We also have the parasympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of calming the body system down and recovering from a stressful event. The good news is we are able to intentionally activate our parasympathetic nervous system when we find ourselves in distress over something that isn’t life or death, or after we’ve survived a truly potential life or death situation. 
<a href="https://app.verifiednews.network/articles/share/2871">Related story: Understanding childhood trauma as an adult</a>
Our bodies will actually practice self-soothing activities to activate the parasympathetic nervous system without even thinking about it. Some examples of this include deep breathing, wringing hands, pacing, rubbing your chest, rubbing your temples, and rubbing your neck and shoulders. Cultivating awareness of what works to calm yourself from stress and then intentionally practicing it is an effective way to deactivate survival mode. 
There’s a part of your brain called the Insula (<a href="https://app.verifiednews.network/articles/share/2884">directly connected to the limbic system</a>) that assists in regulating emotions and handling stressful situations. This part of the brain acts like a muscle, and we can exercise it to strengthen it. The stronger our Insula is, the easier it is to handle stressful events. When it’s weakened or overloaded, it becomes more difficult to regulate emotions and handle these events. 
One way to strengthen the Insula is to build a grounding practice, a series of exercises that help you return to your body and back to your center. These are what are referred to as “bottom-up” activities. They direct your focus on being in your body and rely on your senses versus your thoughts and mental processing. Examples of bottom-up activities include but are not limited to deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, <a href="https://www.theottoolbox.com/sensory-diets-for-adults/">sensory activities</a>, and mindfulness exercises.
If you recognize a pattern of survival mode activation in your life and want to change it, you can also try joining a Somatic Processing Group, like the Release The Stress Group Coaching Program. This virtual group training guides you through an active approach to healing from trauma by helping you build a grounding practice that works for you. It will also assist you in strengthening your Insula so you’re better able to regulate emotions and handle stressful situations. <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe1RlywRrCqxTlL1QYuira_uwiqT0U64xWTTqQvFufTLVwFzg/viewform">Sign up to be notified of the next enrollment period here.</a>
This story is the third story in a three-part trauma education publication, as part of VNN’s 2023 FATE Learning Series: Trauma Informed Business Development. Alexie Foster will be a guest speaker at the 2023 FATE in-person event in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on April 20, 2023. Don’t want to wait for FATE for trauma tips? <a href="https://forms.gle/jagM3tPvRRgrCHMP9" target="_blank">Request access</a> to Alexie’s free grounding series. To register for free tickets to the 2023 FATE in-person event or take part in the series online, visit <a href="https://verifiednews.network/news-and-events/fate" target="_blank">the FATE webpage</a>.

Rewiring your nervous system for peace instead of panic

Alexie Foster

This article discusses various types of traumas and their causations. If you are a trauma survivor, we encourage you to take the necessary steps for your emotional safety prior to or after reading this article. This may include seeking comfort from a friend or family member, calling the Crisis Line at 988, or texting the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
(NATIONAL) Trauma is not a one size fits all experience. There are many different kinds of trauma people endure and need to resolve in order to live their best lives. Navigating trauma is also made more difficult by the fact that many trauma survivors endure chronic traumatic events, as opposed to one-time occurrences.
When people think of trauma, oftentimes they consider the worst-case scenarios of trauma: watching someone die, physical or sexual abuse or assault, war, natural disasters, or the sudden loss of a loved one. These events are known as Type 1 trauma (major trauma events), but there are other kinds of trauma, as well, including: 
Type 2 trauma (minor trauma event) is an emotionally difficult event that is not necessarily a life-or-death situation, such as going through a divorce, losing a pet or a loved one, or job loss. 
Complex trauma refers to the experience of on-going trauma. This could be a history of on-going Type 1 and/or Type 2 traumas. In childhood, complex trauma is often experienced when there is a history of any kind of abuse (physical, emotional, sexual), neglect, or abandonment. 
Historical trauma (generational trauma) refers to the group experience of trauma within a community, such as genocide, forced relocation, or enslavement. 
Secondary trauma refers to experiencing a trauma response when hearing about another person’s traumatic event or experience. 
Recently, there was an adjustment to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly referred to as the DSM-5), a book utilized by mental health and psychology professionals to diagnose mental health disorders. The DSM-5 now defines trauma as an event requiring “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.” 
Some clinicians who specialize in trauma disagree with the current definition, firstly because this definition speaks to Type 1 trauma only. 
Secondly, many believe it is not the actual event and circumstances that define a trauma, but rather the perception of danger and the brain’s response to an event or circumstance. People experience trauma when they feel unsafe in a particular situation. This doesn’t always mean the situation is an actual life or death experience. It means that’s how a person’s brain interprets it. 
To understand trauma and how it affects the brain, one must first understand the “triune brain.” Before birth, the brain develops on three levels. Each of these levels of the brain houses different and very important roles for human functioning. 
The first part of the brain that develops is the lower brain, often referred to as the reptilian or lizard brain. It is the most primal part of the brain, geared for survival. This is the part of the brain we tap into when we are in “survival mode.” Its job is to process as much sensory information, or information gathered through the senses, as possible. 
The second level of the brain surrounds the lizard brain and is known as the limbic system. This interior area is the emotional system of the brain. It is in charge of interpreting information and processing that information as quickly as possible. It also houses the part of the brain that regulates emotions. 
The third level of the brain is the cerebral cortex, or “the thinking brain”. This is where rational processing, decision making and goal making all take place. It’s where a person’s personality is developed and housed. Moving into action also takes place at this level. 
In healthy brain processing, one would gather sensory information through the lower brain, process and regulate emotional responses to the stimuli through the limbic system and respond to the stimuli accordingly through the cerebral cortex. 
Of course, it doesn’t always happen this way. Sometimes instinct takes over. When emotions are too heightened to be regulated, a primal reaction occurs, prompted by the desire to survive. This is known as a trauma response. 
When someone experiences trauma, and especially chronic trauma, the first level brain system will normalize taking over in times of stress, deeming the second and third level systems non-essential. Often times over and over again. Without emotion regulation and rational processing, mental health declines. This can even impact physical health, as everything is linked to the brain.  
Different traumas present themselves in different ways, including but not limited to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or a stressor-related disorder, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue or pain, Fibromyalgia, personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder, poor memory, strained relationships and trust, dissociative/identity disorder, or depersonalization/derealization disorder. 
The good news is people have the power to overcome any and all traumas. The next and final story in this trauma series describes how people can resolve and heal from trauma, so that they can lead more fulfilling and healthy lives.
This story is the second story in a three-part trauma education publication, as part of VNN’s 2023 FATE Learning Series: Trauma Informed Business Development. Alexie Foster will be a guest speaker at the 2023 FATE in-person event in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on April 20, 2023. Don’t want to wait for FATE for trauma tips? <a href="https://forms.gle/jagM3tPvRRgrCHMP9" target="_blank">Request access</a> to Alexie’s free grounding series. To register for free tickets to the 2023 FATE in-person event or take part in the series online, visit <a href="https://verifiednews.network/news-and-events/fate" target="_blank">the FATE webpage</a>.

Trauma and how it's processed (or not) through the brain

(NATIONAL) We’re born, we grow up. Simple, right? When it comes to the brain, not so much. The brain is the most complex organ within the human body, and the development of lifelong systems begins even before we are born. 
It’s said that this time in the womb as well as a child’s first three years are the most crucial to brain development, <a href="https://pn3policy.org/resources/why-do-we-focus-on-the-prenatal-to-3-age-period-understanding-the-importance-of-the-earliest-years/" target="_blank">affecting all future learning, behavior, and health.</a> The human brain doesn’t finish developing until mid-to-late 20s.
Trauma, described by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as an event or circumstance resulting in physical harm, emotional harm and/or life-threatening harm, hinders brain development in children. 
When it comes to childhood trauma, it’s important to consider the needs a child has in those formative years to better understand types of events that might register as traumatic in the young brain. Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist, created a widely accepted theory known as <a href="https://www.wichita.edu/services/mrc/OIR/Pedagogy/Theories/maslow.php" target="_blank">Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs</a> that categorizes those needs into different levels.
Maslow’s five areas of need build upon one another. They include Physiological needs (at the bottom), Safety needs, Belongingness, Esteem, and Self-Actualization (at the top). When one or more of these is not met, the functioning of an individual suffers. When one or more of these is not met in childhood, it disrupts healthy development.
Physiological needs refer to basic needs for survival. This includes food, water, shelter, and clothing. It also includes clean breathing air and adequate sleep.
Children growing up in poverty often go without one or more of these needs. Unfortunately, without these basic needs, it can be very difficult for a child to focus on the learning process at school. Their young brains are more concerned about basic survival. 
Safety needs refer to feeling physically and emotionally safe in an environment, as well as having good health. For a child growing up in a physically or emotionally abusive environment, their learning abilities might be limited because their brain is in survival mode. A child who experiences chronic illness might also feel unsafe in their own body, which can result in medical or health trauma and can create a belief that one cannot even rely on their own body.
While these basic needs are at the bottom of the hierarchy, confidence is second to the top. Learning is considered to be at the very top. In addition to other adverse health effects, a child living with current or unresolved trauma, not having their basic needs met, may adopt the belief they are unintelligent because they’re unable to grasp certain concepts, or hit developmental milestones. This child could then grow up limiting themselves because they don’t believe they have the ability to pursue or achieve certain things, when in actuality their young brain was really experiencing the trauma of not having their basic needs met. 
Belongingness, the center of the hierarchy, refers to belonging in a relationship. For children, this starts with the type of relationship and attachment they have with their initial caregivers. When a child doesn’t feel loved, secure, and safe with their initial caregivers, it creates trust issues in developing other relationships with peers, teachers, and other community members. As the child grows and becomes an adult, it can make healthy, secure friendships and intimate relationships difficult to establish.
Esteem refers to the esteem of oneself. This oftentimes is boosted when achievements are made and confidence levels are up. There is a strong correlation between being able to problem solve and having healthy self-esteem. Children who are not allowed to explore and pursue their own solutions to problems can be left feeling inadequate or incapable, which can keep them from trying new things and pursuing areas of interest they might otherwise be interested in.
Self-Actualization, the top of the hierarchy, refers to the awareness someone has of themselves. It includes an understanding of how someone thinks, feels, behaves and aids in better decision making in life. This level is where people have the ability to explore and develop their morals and pursue creative endeavors. Without the previous needs being met, this stage is extremely difficult to experience. 
Thankfully, people whose childhoods lacked in any of these areas are not resigned to experiencing difficulty for the rest of their lives. It’s true that lacking in any of these areas can make things more difficult, but that doesn’t have to be the end of the story. Through awareness and active dedication to change, it is possible to heal and resolve areas of trauma created by lack of needs being met. 
Working with a certified trauma therapist is the best way to overcome these difficulties related to childhood trauma. Not all therapists are certified in trauma, and it’s not always enough to be trauma trained or trauma informed. A certified trauma therapist will have extensive training in working with clients on trauma issues. There are several websites you can visit that allow you to put in specific search items to find a therapist, including <a href="https://www.therapyden.com/" target="_blank">therapyden.com</a>, <a href="https://meetmonarch.com/" target="_blank">meetmonarch.com</a>, and <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us" target="_blank">psychologytoday.com</a>.
Additionally, you might be interested in joining the Release the Stress Group Coaching Program. This virtual group training guides people into an active healing approach from trauma through various exercises and methods. You can learn more and <a href="https://forms.gle/uv7WoQ5v1HqGJGTX6" target="_blank">sign up for the program here</a>.
This story is the first story in a three-part trauma education publication, as part of VNN’s 2023 FATE Learning Series: Trauma Informed Business Development. Alexie Foster will be a guest speaker at the 2023 FATE in-person event in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, on April 20, 2023. Don’t want to wait for FATE for trauma tips? <a href="https://forms.gle/jagM3tPvRRgrCHMP9" target="_blank">Request access</a> to Alexie’s free grounding series. To register for free tickets to the 2023 FATE in-person event or take part in the series online, visit <a href="https://verifiednews.network/news-and-events/fate" target="_blank">the FATE webpage</a>.