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The Wisdom of the Body: Understanding the Nervous System to Heal Trauma and Addiction
As a therapist, I’ve had the privilege of working with many individuals on their unique healing journeys. One common thread I’ve noticed is the incredible power of the body in healing from trauma. We often think of trauma and addiction as mental or emotional challenges and traditional top-down approaches sometimes miss the deeply rooted mind-body connection. The nervous system plays a crucial role in how we respond to stress, trauma, and addiction. By understanding it, we can gain deeper insight into our reactions and responses.
In this blog, I’ll explore the connection between trauma, addiction, and the nervous system, and how tapping into the wisdom of the body can lead to deeper awareness and healing. We’ll dive into topics like the felt sense, how trauma is stored in the body, and how you can begin to trust yourself and your body as you move through the healing process.
Trauma in the Body: The Nervous System’s Role
When we experience trauma—whether emotional, physical, or psychological—our nervous system is activated. The fight, flight, or freeze responses are survival mechanisms that keep us safe in the face of danger. However, when trauma isn’t processed, our nervous system can get "stuck," leaving us in a perpetual state of heightened alertness (hyperarousal) or emotional numbness (hyperarousal). This imbalance can result in chronic anxiety, stress, depression, dysregulation, and even physical ailments.
The autonomic nervous system, which includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, governs our body's reactions to stress. In moments of danger, the sympathetic system triggers the fight or flight response, mobilizing energy to protect us. However, when trauma is not processed and resolved, the parasympathetic system’s "rest and digest" function can become dysregulated, leading to freeze responses or dissociation, where the body feels stuck in a state of survival mode. This dysfunction can manifest as emotional numbing, difficulty feeling safe, or physical symptoms that don’t seem to have an obvious cause.
The mind and body don’t forget trauma. In fact, trauma is often held in the body in the form of tension, pain, or even illness. I’ve worked with clients struggling with chronic pain or unexplained physical symptoms that were, in fact, the body’s way of processing unresolved traumatic stress. Understanding this mind-body connection is key to healing, as it allows us to process and release the stress stored in the body.
Trauma and Addiction: A Cycle of Coping and Escape
Addiction often develops as a coping mechanism in response to unprocessed trauma. When the nervous system is overwhelmed by past pain, substances or behaviours (like alcohol, drugs, or even workaholism) can provide temporary relief or a way to regulate emotional intensity. While these coping mechanisms may offer a sense of control or numbness, they fail to address the underlying trauma and can have long-term consequences.
The cycle of addiction becomes self-perpetuating. We use substances or behaviours to numb our pain, but this only reinforces the disconnect between the mind and body. As a result, the trauma remains trapped in the nervous system, and the need for a quick fix intensifies. The pain in our body needs to be heard and acknowledged, yet many of us are taught early in life to suppress or ignore it. This disconnect leads to shame and perpetuates the cycle of numbing.
Healing begins when we re-establish a compassionate connection with ourselves. Instead of continuing the cycle of numbing and disconnection, we can learn how to work with that hurt part inside us, helping it to process and release the emotional charge.
The Felt Sense: Reconnecting with Your Body
One of the most powerful tools in healing trauma and addiction is developing a stronger relationship with your body. This is where the concept of the felt sense comes in—a term coined by Eugene Gendlin in the 1960s to describe the body’s intuitive awareness of emotional experiences.
The felt sense is the physical sensation that accompanies an emotional experience. It’s the knot in your stomach when you feel anxious, or the heaviness in your chest when you’re grieving. Learning to tune into the felt sense helps you become more aware of what’s going on inside, enabling you to process emotions without relying on external distractions or coping mechanisms that no longer serve you. Unprocessed emotions are stored in our bodies until we make space for them.
This process of body awareness requires practice and patience. It may feel uncomfortable at first, especially if you’ve spent a long time avoiding your body’s sensations. But it’s important to remember that your body is not the enemy—it’s the key to unlocking your healing. The wisdom of the body can guide you to greater clarity and deeper insight into your emotional landscape.
Trusting Your Body
Learning to trust your body can be challenging, especially after years of disconnection. But it’s one of the most important steps in the healing process. Trusting your body means letting go of the belief that your body is something to control or ignore, and instead recognizing it as a wise, intuitive guide that provides valuable information about your emotional and physical well-being.
Trusting your body begins with mindfulness. Take time each day to check in with yourself: How does my body feel? What sensations are present? Are there areas of tension, discomfort, or numbness that I’ve been avoiding? Practice grounding techniques like guided mindfulness, walking, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation to help you reconnect with your physical self.
As you develop more trust in your body, you’ll begin to notice how it can serve as a compass for your emotional and mental well-being. Your body can tell you when something is off, when you’re ready to let go of old patterns, or when you’re in need of rest. The more you listen, the more you’ll be able to heal and grow.
Embracing the Wisdom of Your Body
Healing from trauma and addiction isn’t just about “thinking your way through it” cognitively. It’s about reconnecting with the wisdom that resides in your body and learning to trust the nervous system’s natural ability to heal itself. The journey may be long, and it requires patience and self-compassion, but the payoff is immense. By understanding how trauma and addiction affect the body and developing a deeper connection with your nervous system, you can break free from old patterns and embrace the life you deserve.
Remember, healing isn’t linear, and there may be setbacks along the way. But with every step, you’ll be building a stronger relationship with your body and, in doing so, with yourself. Your body knows how to heal—it’s just waiting for you to listen.
