Understanding Trauma: What It Is and How to Recognize It in Your Body

Trauma has become a bit of a buzzword recently, and while that’s raising awareness, it can also create confusion about what trauma actually is. Questions like "What qualifies as trauma?" and "How can I tell if my body is storing trauma?" come up often. Let’s unpack these important topics.

What Qualifies as Trauma?

Trauma isn’t tied to a specific event—it’s tied to our experience of that event. As Peter Levine, the developer of Somatic Experiencing, says:

“Trauma is not in the event; it’s in the person.”

To understand this, consider a minor car accident—a fender bender with no physical injuries. Two people could walk away from the exact same incident with completely different experiences.

A Tale of Two Nervous Systems

• The Regulated Nervous System: Someone with a regulated nervous system might react to the accident by feeling momentarily startled. Their body moves into a fight-or-flight response but naturally flows back into a calm, grounded state. They likely won't lose sleep over the accident or carry lasting anxiety.

  
  

• The Dysregulated Nervous System: For someone with a dysregulated nervous system—perhaps due to past experiences where they couldn’t fully process or recover from stress—the same minor accident could trigger heightened anxiety, self-blame, difficulty sleeping, or even ongoing intrusive thoughts.

  
  

The difference lies in the nervous system's capacity to recover. As Gabor Maté puts it:

“Trauma is not what happens to us; it’s what happens inside of us as a result of what happened.”

This means trauma isn’t about the external event itself—it’s about our internal response to it.

Is My Body Storing Trauma?

Because trauma is such a personal experience, you can’t determine whether someone is holding onto trauma just by looking at what they’ve been through. Instead, we look for signs and symptoms in their body and daily life.

Common Signs of Stored Trauma

• Persistent anxiety, restlessness, or hypervigilance

• Sleep difficulties

• Trouble concentrating

• Unable to relax

• Chronic physical symptoms, such as gastrointestinal issues or unexplained pain

• Muscle tension

• Persistent low energy, low motivation, or low mood

• Mood swings or unstable emotions

• Feelings of numbness

• Constant state of overwhelm

  
  

These symptoms often stem from a nervous system stuck in fight, flight, or freeze mode. Instead of returning to a calm, balanced state, the body remains in survival mode, manifesting in a variety of physical, emotional, and behavioral challenges.

The Key to Ease and Safety

A regulated nervous system feels safe and balanced. In this state, often called the ventral vagal state, you’re:

• Calm but alert (not drowsy or overly relaxed)

• Able to socially engage with others

• At ease in your body

• Grounded and have access to joy and laughter

If these qualities are missing, it might be a sign that your body is holding onto unresolved stress or trauma.

Healing Is Possible

The good news is that regulating your nervous system is a skill that can be taught and learned. With the right support and resources, anyone can achieve a more balanced and resilient state. Trauma doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with you—it simply reflects what you’ve been through and the support you had (or didn’t have) at the time.

Final Thoughts

Trauma is a deeply individual experience. It's not about what happened—it’s about what’s happening inside you as a result. Recognizing the signs of stored trauma in your body is the first step toward healing and reclaiming balance.

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