Navigating the Terrain of Trauma: Understanding Your Inner Struggle
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Chapter 1: The Battle Within
At the core of our emotional experiences lies a delicate balance between two opposing forces: your angel and your devil. These entities influence your thoughts and actions, shaping your reality based on their whispers and commands. The one that reaches your control panel first dictates your perceptions and reactions.
In moments of trauma, your devil often gains the upper hand, reacting swiftly and leaving you grappling to align with your angel's positive influence. This rapid response can occur so instantaneously that it feels as if you are witnessing another person take control of your actions—this phenomenon is referred to as a trauma response.
Victor Frankl emphasized the importance of the fleeting moment between stimulus and response, suggesting that our humanity resides in that brief space. If this moment is too constricted for conscious decision-making, unconscious influences will dominate, often perpetuating the cycle of unresolved trauma.
Section 1.1: Understanding Trauma Responses
Individuals with unresolved trauma frequently revert to behaviors reflective of their past experiences. For instance, a narcissist may revert to their childhood's unempathetic environment, while a child raised in an abusive setting may either perpetuate or accept the abuse as a form of love. This cycle often leads to what is known as a trauma bond—a deeply dysfunctional yet familiar connection.
Connecting to Your Pain
Your devil excels at obstructing your ability to experience love. Have you ever encountered someone who, due to trauma, struggles to be open and vulnerable? To facilitate healing, it is crucial to slow down your devil's influence, allowing your angel to take the reins.
Engaging in mindfulness practices, particularly meditation, has been shown to mitigate impulsive reactions. When we are truly present, we can make conscious choices, whereas falling into automatic responses can keep us trapped in past traumas. Dissociation, a common coping mechanism among trauma survivors, signifies a disconnection from the present to evade pain.
This disassociation can manifest in various ways, from complete emotional numbness to a state of cognitive presence accompanied by emotional detachment. While repression may serve as a temporary escape, it ultimately fails to provide lasting relief, as unaddressed trauma resurfaces, reinforcing feelings of unsafety.
Section 1.2: Breaking the Cycle of Repression
To effectively heal from trauma, one must confront their repressed pain rather than allowing it to control them. This process involves dismantling the barriers of avoidance and embracing vulnerability as a necessary step toward healing.
The moment you acknowledge your pain, it loses its power over you. As Carl Jung suggested, many mental illnesses serve as defenses against real suffering. By learning to be present, you can begin to dismantle the trauma responses that have historically dominated your life.
Chapter 2: Mindfulness as a Healing Tool
In the video "6 ways to heal trauma without medication | Bessel van der Kolk | Big Think," Dr. van der Kolk outlines various methods for addressing trauma without reliance on pharmaceuticals. These approaches emphasize the importance of self-awareness and practical strategies for healing.
Mindfulness fosters a state of presence that facilitates healing, as trauma responses are often tied to past events rather than current triggers. By practicing mindfulness, you can slow down your reactions, allowing your angel to respond to stimuli more effectively.
The second video, "How To Release Trauma Stored In The Body," discusses techniques for releasing trauma that is physically manifested within the body. The insights provided here can be instrumental in understanding the mind-body connection crucial for healing.
Beating Your Devil
Your devil thrives in an environment devoid of love, perpetuating a cycle of suffering. This internal struggle is not simply about overpowering your angel but rather involves recognizing the illusion your devil creates—a belief in a loveless existence. By acknowledging this deception, you can begin to reclaim your narrative and dismantle the self-fulfilling prophecies that keep you anchored in trauma.
Through mindfulness, you can illuminate the shadows where your devil resides, revealing the thoughts that masquerade as your own. Once you recognize these thoughts for what they are, you can actively choose not to believe them. This conscious awareness is vital in weakening your devil's influence over your life.
To heal from trauma, you must become adept at discerning which thoughts to adopt and which to discard, much like navigating the misinformation that permeates the internet. Just because a thought arises does not mean it deserves your belief.
This is the path to healing your trauma—embracing love and rejecting the narratives that separate you from it.
Also read: How to Heal from Child Abuse and The Bad Childhood Theory of Learning to Love.
You should also read The Fifth Agreement by Don Miguel Ruiz.