Hidden Signs of Trauma
Did you know that not all trauma shows up as flashbacks or panic attacks?
Sometimes, it lives quietly in your everyday experience, until you learn to recognize the signs.
Here are 4 common (but often overlooked) signs of unprocessed trauma:
🌀 Chronic tension or pain – This one is so common it often flies under the radar. Maybe it’s your jaw, shoulders, stomach, or chest, but it’s always there. Sometimes, people don’t even realize how much tension they’re carrying until they feel what it’s like to soften. The body doesn’t hold that tightly without a reason…it’s protecting something.
💤 Fatigue that doesn’t go away – This is more than being sleepy. It’s a deep exhaustion, the kind that seeps into your bones. I often see this when someone’s system has been in survival mode for a long time, especially when in freeze mode. The body is conserving energy, but it’s not truly resting.
⚡ Restlessness or inability to slow down – Have you ever felt like the moment you stop moving, it’s almost like your body doesn’t know what to do with that stillness? You may feel agitated, anxious, or even guilty when you try to rest. That’s your nervous system's way of keeping you busy as a form of protection.
🌫️ Emotional numbness – Sometimes, instead of feeling too much, you may feel nothing. It’s like there’s a fog between you and your own emotions. Numbness can be a survival response. The body shuts down to protect you, but it doesn’t always know when it’s okay to come back online.
None of these symptoms exists in isolation, and they’re not random. They’re adaptive. They were your body’s way of helping you survive something that felt too much at the time.
But I want you to know that when we start to understand these symptoms as messages, not flaws, we can begin responding with support, not shame.
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