How Trauma Affects the Mind- Part 2
by- Holly Malmsten
Did you know you are hardwired to self protect?
During a traumatic experience the mind wants to protect at all costs. Protection becomes the priority and the subconscious mind decides on the best way to preserve well being. These decisions are made at the subconscious level without any conscious thought. In fact, you would not even notice this happening. The subconscious mind is so mysterious. When overwhelmed, It may decide to make sure that “never happens again.”
How Does Trauma Affect the Mind?
2) Negative Images and memories are stored to keep you in protection mode.
Protection Mode = Alert and Prepared for Possible Danger in the Future
While countless negative emotions, flood the mind all at once, images and memories related to the trauma also impose on the mind. Images and memories can have powerful effects on future peace and wellbeing, if they are stored with pain and stress. Scientific research shows that the brain doesn’t know the difference between what is real and what is an image. If too many negative images are stored, the body and the mind may subconscioulsy believe that the neagtive experience is actually still happening. This function of the mind may keep an individual in a propetual state of trauma, as if the expereince is happening in the present.
There is Hope!
It takes an enormous amount of energy for the mind to store stressful memories and images and to maintain protection mode. Gaining control over this self protection mechanism in the mind can be a relief to your entire being.
I am glad to shed some light on how trauma affects the mind, because I know healing is possible.
Traumatic pain-filled memories may be transformed from subconscious containers of fear and pain, into parts of your story of overcoming and triumph.
Join me next week as I discuss how trauma affects the mind, part 3. Learn the 3rd way trauma affects the mind to understand how to recover and move forward.
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