Stress and Trauma
Stress and trauma creates all kinds of negative physical, mental, and emotional side-effects. Research shows that stress plays a part in up to 75% to 90% of human diseases, and that there are approximately 5 million deaths worldwide each year attributed to mood and anxiety disorders. Numbers like that are staggering!
Stress and trauma are a part of life in every generation. The details may differ, but the effects are the same. The Covid-19 pandemic brought forward a tidal wave of awareness regarding mental health and wellbeing. Avoidance in dealing with stress and trauma is NOT a solution. Avoiding dealing with and not clearing the energy of the issues can lead to an increased probability of developing substance use disorders, such as alcoholism.
Adverse Childhood Experiences and PTSD
ACEs
No matter what age you are, traumatic experiences can leave a lasting impact on your life. Studies have shown that young brains are sensitive to Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). ACEs include all forms of abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction. They often lead to the creation of chronic or toxic stress responses in the body. Toxic stress has a wide range of short and long-term negative physical, mental, and emotional side-effects.
All life experiences, both positive and negative, create chemical markers that collect on a growing child's DNA. These chemical marks create a unique signature called the 'epigenome', which controls what genes are available for replication and expression. The expression of some genes creates positive benefits, while a lack of expression of other genes predisposes to developing negative issues.
Think of the marks like tape or glue that hold the genes together, or conversely, like a seam ripper that opens the genes up. Studies have shown that even genetically identical twins can exhibit unique skills, behaviors, and health outcomes because of their individual epigenome signature. These are the literal physical effects of toxic stress and ACEs.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
The mental and emotional effects of ACEs and adult aged trauma fall under the label of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With PTSD, the brain stores memories of similar experiences and emotions together in a big unconscious chain. When something in the present moment has the same feel or charge as the first event in the chain, the whole chain comes online.
These chains create and shape the unconscious mind filters. When a child or adult experiences a similar situation in the present day, these filters produce the same exaggerated emotions, behaviors, and reactions without conscious control. These negative cycles then reinforce themselves because triggering the response re-traumatizes the individual all over again.
Generational Trauma
Generational trauma, also known as intergenerational or transgenerational trauma, is a cycle of trauma that passes through families. The original trauma may happen through biological factors, environmental influences, psychological elements, and social circumstances. ACEs or adult aged traumas for your ancestors.
Research shows that generational trauma can even begin in utero, where the unborn child experiences repeated exposure to high levels of stress hormones and chemicals that affect future development. Whatever the source, trauma survivors can create all kinds of dysfunctional coping mechanisms or survival skills. Broken patterns of thought and behavior create many types of violence, that's transmitted to others.
At Agape Therapeutic Health Services, we use coaching, energy medicine, and intuitive bodywork for releasing the imbalances arising from your personal and/or generational traumas. Over time, your negative habits and patterns fall away, creating freedom from the debilitating effects of your memories and stories.