Delayed Trauma Responses

Delayed Trauma Responses

Madison Longchamp, MS, LPC

The very last day of 2020, I got bit by a dog. What a way to end 2020 right? Now I’m not talking about a little nip. This was a real hold on and shake kind of bite. It was one of the scariest experiences in my life, but in the aftermath, I realized I learned a great deal from it. As with lots of traumatic moments in our lives, I found myself replaying the events often. Something I noticed was at the moment of the bite and as the struggle ensued, I felt no pain at all. Sure, I realized what was happening and sheer panic and terror overwhelmed me as I thought “oh, this is not good.” But the actual pain in my arm, nonexistent. I would describe it more as a numbness. I could feel her teeth sink in and rip, but it didn’t hurt. Fast forward a few hours later, my arm HURT. It hurt so bad. I felt like I was going to throw up it hurt so bad, then, I actually did throw up it hurt so bad. 

As I returned to work it got me thinking about trauma. I had just experienced a physical trauma. As we understand the mind and body more, we have found they are so closely interconnected that often their processes mirror one another. I have so many clients who come to me after experiencing a traumatic event or an abusive and stressful time period in their lives. Sometimes they come because though they have escaped the person or environment causing the stress, they suddenly have begun to have panic attacks, high anxiety, or they’re relationships are suffering. During periods of extreme stress, abuse, or trauma, our minds often put up protections-a lot like the adrenaline that rushed to help when that dog bit me. But now that they are safe, their minds have let down defenses and they are having to deal with the pain those experiences caused. A lot of times this can be discouraging. It can make us feel like we worked so hard to get through something and then we end up feeling even worse than when we were still in it. 

Don’t be discouraged. Surviving that experience was a feat. Even though I couldn’t feel it, that bite still did lots of damage and even if it never hurt, I wouldn’t have been able to continue with it in that state for very long without caring for it. The fact that you are feeling, means you are safe. You are no longer in danger. You can open up the hurt, the confusion, the self-doubt and process it. Then you can heal.

If you’re experiencing this, make an appointment to talk. We get it.