COVID 19 - RELEASING TRAUMA ENERGY & PREVENTING PTSD

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REGULATING YOUR BODY TO RELEASE TRAUMA ENERGY :

For some of you right now, you are feeling stress from multiple directions - family, financial, health, career, social life and more. Some of you may feel driftless while others may feel busier than ever as you attempt to adapt to the ongoing transition. You may feel grief, overwhelm, exhaustion, or on edge. This is normal, and I want to equip you with things you can do to help REGULATE through this natural stress response that is ongoing and even help you prevent PTSD. Before going further, it is important to define that regulation does NOT mean “calm.” Rather, I am using the definition of regulation from Lisa Dion, which is “connected to self.” In other words, I may have feelings (scared, angry, powerless, etc), but I am essentially bigger than my feelings - I still have a sense of agency. Whereas dysregulated means that my feelings are bigger than me and outside of my window of tolerance. Now, there are two ways we may get dysregulated…

When we perceive a threat in our environment (think cheetah chasing you), our brain sends a message to activate our body in one of two ways : HYPER or HYPO 

HYPER : EXCESS TRAUMA ENERGY - Your brain is releasing adrenaline and cortisol to help you flee, fight, or freeze. You may notice that as a result, you may have a buzzing energy, feel extra energy in your arms, legs, & throat, and your heart may beat faster. This is a natural reaction under this kind of stress. However, these chemicals can get trapped in your organs & tissues. This stored chemical energy not only has long-term physical health implications, but is also a major component in turning into PTSD. However, if you REGULATE through MOVEMENT  - you are actually moving the trauma energy OUT of your body. Many people try to force themselves to “calm down” - but that can actually trap the energy further because that energy wants to be released physically. The intensity of the chemicals and energy within you will determine how much movement and release your body needs. Here are a few ways to move to help you release this energy: 

  • Shake your arms out

  • Walk/Run

  • Dance

  • Jump up and down

  • Put pressure on your arms and legs

  • Sing

  • Tear pages out of a book

  • Do push ups

Animals actually tremble & shake after they escape a predator. This is also what we as humans need to do as well - move our bodies to release the energy! Unfortunately, too often we try and “keep it together” and don’t allow our bodies to shake and move the way that animals do.

HYPO :  SHUT DOWN - SLEEPY, EXHAUSTED, BORED - For others you may not feel adrenaline at all. Instead you may feel sleepy, numb, tired or depressed as your heart rate actually slows and blood flow is restricted - essentially you are in a “collapse” state. When you feel this crash, let your body rest - mindfully (in other words, with awareness). Eventually begin to regulate by bringing in movement - a gentle yoga routine, stretch, drink cold water, or bite into an orange. Feel your bare feet on the earth. Go on a walk while noticing the sounds around you. Let your body recover as you listen to it’s rhythm and awaken your body’s senses. The idea here is not force or jolt your body out of this state, but to follow its rhythm while guiding it with things to gently awaken your senses. (Hint: During this hypo state, you may unconsciously seek out ways to jolt or wake up your nervous system - instigating conflict with a family member, sugar cravings, etc. These things are feedback that you are most likely in a hypo/collapse state.)

COMBINATION of HYPER/HYPO- For some of you, perhaps you felt the hyper activation in the first few weeks - you were on overdrive to keep everything moving. Eventually, you may have crashed/collapsed with fatigue in the hypo state. It is very normal to experience this cycle - in fact you may cycle through both several times. Rather than shutting down either process, listen to your body. Your body has innate wisdom, so listen to what it needs moment by moment to help it flow through its new rythym. 

SOME ADDITIONAL WAYS TO REGULATE: 

  • Breathe - deep and slow inhales & exhales (to the count of 4)

  • Name It to Tame It: Feeling - name the feeling (fear, grief, disappointment, loneliness etc)

  • Name It to Tame It: Sensation - name the physical sensation (tingly, tight, fast, numb, pounding, etc)

  • Create a routine - our brain is searching for order but gravitates towards chaos if we don’t create structure

CARING FOR OTHERS: WE NEED A CO-REGULATOR - We are not born knowing how to regulate. Regulation is something we must be taught. In fact, we are often first taught by a “co-regulator” - someone regulating with us - breathing, rocking, moving with us before we even know how. (Think of a mother rocking her crying baby and letting her baby borrow her nervous system.) You can also be a “co-regulator” for your family or friends (even virtually) when you allow yourself to feel what they feel and then take a deep breath for them when you can’t. You can hold space for their feelings and gently move with them. You can put words to their experience when they can’t. And… you can let them do the same for you in return when you can’t do it for yourself.

FOR KIDS - Notice when your kids may be experiencing one of the above states - hyper or hypo. Hint: misbehavior is often the child’s attempt to regulate his or her body. If they aren’t releasing adrenaline & cortisol through regular physical activity, they will attempt to release it through other behavior. When you help kids redirect their energy rather than shutting it down, you teach them to regulate these hyper and hypo states. Here is an example of how you can do that: Rather than, “Johnny, stop it - we don’t hit the dog.” Try, “Johnny, I get it - its frustrating to be inside all day. Show me another way how frustrated you feel & another way you can get that energy out of your arms.”

REGULATING YOUR MIND TO SHIFT TRAUMA PERCEPTIONS

Our brain is not actually respondong to threats in our environment, but to our perception of threats.

While regulating our body is important, it is wise to also shift the perceptions that led to the initial release of stress chemicals. Additionally, it is wise to then adapt to the changing environment in order to to find the new meaning or purpose for oneself. (Stress is the perceived inability to adapt - and we will get that cascade of adrenaline & cortisol when we perceive that we can’t adapt.) Victor Frankl was able to not only adapt but to find meaning and purpose even in the concentration camps - and in doing so he kept his body, mind, and spirit healthy. While “positive thinking” can actually do more harm than good, seeing BOTH positive & negative of a situation, finding the meaning within it all, and adapting - leads to resilience. My next post will address our perceptions and practical ways that you can begin to shift your perceptions, continue to adapt, and find meaning that is specific to you during this time.

***NOTE: Regulation does not mean calm. Regulation means connected to self. Movement of the body, breath work, and naming one’s felt sense all are techniques to regulate/connect to self. The goal of this article is not to help you feel “calm” or “happy” but to help you to connect to yourself physically, emotionally, and mentally. To help you to be able to feel your feelings, but to still be bigger than they are - and to move, breathe, observe, and shift your perceptions in it all.