You might be wondering why we are talking about physical symptoms when discussing a mental health disorder. The truth is, you are a whole human being made up of all your various parts, and these parts work as a system. Your mental health affects your physical health and vice versa.

This is where the physical effects of trauma come in.

People who have experienced trauma and have long term trauma symptoms spend much of their day experiencing high anxiety and tension in the body.  Over time, this muscle tension evolves into inflammation and chronic pain.

Being in a constant state of anxiety and tension also affects your digestive system due to high cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and cytokines, which cause inflammation and increase your risk for developing ulcers and other gastrointestinal difficulties.

The constant flood of stress hormones, tension, anxiety, and increased inflammation also contributes to chronic headaches and migraines.

Left unaddressed, the effects of long term stress and anxiety can lead to long term physical damage and medical issues such as heart disease, stroke, lowered immune system response increasing susceptibility to illness,  difficulties with managing a healthy weight, and diabetes, just to name a few.

Stress and anxiety are the number one reported cause of insomnia. When you experience the long term effects of trauma, nightmares, racing thoughts, and stress can be worse at night when there are fewer distractions to otherwise occupy your mind.

Fatigue, anxiety, depression, and stress also cause difficulties with focus and concentration. Many people refer to this as “brain fog.”

People who suffer from the long term effects of trauma are also at increased risk for developing addictions and substance use disorders as they try and find methods for managing their symptoms and finding some relief from the psychological symptoms of trauma.

Not everyone who experiences trauma will go on to develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD); however, if you experience trauma and find yourself continuing to suffer for weeks or months after the event or events, it may be time to seek health from a qualified mental health professional. There are many treatment approaches to help you recover from traumatic experiences to include:

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): Helps to process traumatic memories in the brain through assisting stuck areas of the brain from trauma access soothing areas of the brain to process the memories and restore peace through the use of bilateral movement.

CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy, which is the approach I use): Helps you learn to challenge and replace unhelpful beliefs and automatic thoughts that evolve from traumatic experiences with a new understanding so that the trauma is no longer in control of your life, you are.

PE (Prolonged Exposure Therapy): Using gradual, prolonged exposure to memories, feelings, or thoughts as a replacement for avoidance helps you confront your fears and memories to reduce feelings of fear or danger that are often associated with the post-trauma experience.

Though each of these therapy models differs, each method has been shown to address the long term impacts of PTSD.  Getting help for PTSD can reduce the likelihood of developing chronic physical and medical conditions due to constant stress, anxiety, and depression and reduce the risk of developing addictions or substance use disorders.  Help and support are available to help you reduce your suffering and pain. Take the time to talk to your doctor or therapist about your symptoms and experiences. You’ll be glad you did.

Learn more About Me and the Services I offer.

Tonya Molnar, PhD, LMHC, MHP specializes in insomnia and sleep health, trauma, and chronic pain and illness therapy with additional training in CBT-i for insomnia and CBT for chronic pain and illness management. As she completes her PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision, it is her honor to serve clients in Washington State using a telemental health approach at this time.