06/27/2025
When trauma is not addressed or processed, it can have wide-reaching effects on both the body and mind, often in ways people don’t immediately connect to the original trauma. Here’s how unprocessed trauma can manifest:
🧠 Mental and Emotional Effects:
1. Anxiety and Panic Attacks: The nervous system stays in a heightened state of alert (fight-or-flight mode), even when danger is no longer present.
2. Depression: Repressed trauma can cause deep feelings of hopelessness, numbness, and disconnection from life or purpose.
3. Emotional Dysregulation: You may overreact to minor stressors or struggle to manage your emotions, swinging between anger, fear, or sadness.
4. Flashbacks or Intrusive Thoughts: The brain may replay traumatic memories involuntarily, sometimes even without conscious awareness of the source.
🧍♀️ Physical Effects
1. Chronic Stress & Inflammation:
Trauma activates the stress response (cortisol, adrenaline), and over time, this can lead to:
• Fatigue
• High blood pressure
• Increased inflammation
• Suppressed immune system
2. Tension and Pain in the Body:
The body may “store” trauma in muscles (especially the shoulders, neck, jaw, hips), leading to chronic pain, tightness, or digestive issues.
3. Sleep Disturbances:
Insomnia, nightmares, or poor-quality sleep are common, disrupting the body’s healing and regulation systems.
4. Somatic Symptoms:
Trauma can show up as:
• Headaches
• IBS or digestive disorders
• Autoimmune issues
• Unexplained aches or illnesses
🧠 Brain Function and Memory
• Trauma can impair the hippocampus (memory), amygdala (fear), and prefrontal cortex (decision-making). This makes it harder to concentrate, remember details, or feel safe.
• People may become “emotionally stuck” in the age or situation when the trauma occurred.
🧬 Long-Term Health Risks
Unresolved trauma is linked to serious long-term health conditions, including:
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Substance use disorders
• Autoimmune diseases
• Cancer (in some studies)
🌀 Behavioral & Social Effects
• Withdrawal or isolation
• Difficulty forming or maintaining relationships
• Addictions (alcohol, food, technology, etc.)
• Risky or impulsive behaviors
• People-pleasing or co-dependency patterns
🛠️ But There Is Hope
Healing is absolutely possible. Supportive approaches include:
• Therapy (especially trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, somatic experiencing)
• Body-based work (yoga, massage, breathwork)
• Mindfulness & self-compassion practices
• Safe social connections and support groups
So as you see if you do not deal with your trauma or grief, it will deal with you. Take control of your past and let your future flourish. Reach out with any questions you may have for booking with me or my certifications.
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Contact:
Oasis Massage Therapy
Courtney Fitzpatrick, NCLMBT #13724
📲 910-386-6229
📧 oasismassagelmbt@gmail.com
📍411 Chestnut Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
📜 Certified in: Trauma/Grief, Manual Lymphatic Drainage, Oncology, & Prenatal/Postpartum Massage
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