6 Draining Effects of Trauma

Many of us have had traumatic experiences that stick with us into adulthood. Even if they happened decades ago, we sometimes feel the effects of trauma even as adults. We might notice that our mood is prone to change quickly, or we might experience high anxiety for seemingly no reason. Likewise, we may be constantly exhausted, even when we have had enough sleep.

The draining effects of trauma are real and can be difficult to cope with. It might not be obvious to healthcare professionals that our exhaustion is linked to unaddressed trauma, so we might get misdiagnosed.

Triggers for trauma-related anxiety vary from person to person. We might be stressed because we are being repeatedly exposed to a trigger in our everyday lives. It’s worth reflecting on how some of our past experiences might be affecting our present state of mind.

The Draining Effects of Trauma

There are many ways that unresolved trauma can cause fatigue and exhaustion in our lives, but here are some of the most common. Just as everyone’s history is specific to them, every person has unique mental health. It’s always best to speak with a health specialist as well as a mental health expert if you are struggling with chronic fatigue. Here are some potential trauma-related causes of fatigue:

High Levels of Cortisol

Cortisol, also known as the stress hormone, causes us to experience high energy and clarity of thought. When we meet physical danger, our nervous system becomes flooded with cortisol so that we can either meet and conquer that threat or put distance between us and the danger by outrunning it.

However, when we are in emotional turmoil, even by replaying something over and over in the back of our minds, our nervous system is still primed to face the unseen threat that is trauma memories. Over time these elevated levels of cortisol will have a draining effect on our nervous system. This fight-or-flight response is meant to provide us with bursts of energy, but when we experience this kind of high alert for a prolonged time, we will feel tired from the inside out.

Much of the time we are not even aware of this phenomenon is acting on our body. We will usually attribute our stress levels to other life-related issues. If we constantly relive an event or experience in our head, even if it is in the back of our mind, there is a good chance that it will affect our nervous system in a draining way.

Hypervigilance

Much like the fight-or-flight response, hypervigilance is a state of alert anxiety that is often related to having experienced trauma. When we have been in a situation where we felt deeply unsafe, we will naturally always be aware of similar situations. Hypervigilance is a defense instinct like the fight-or-flight response, intended to keep us from experiencing harm.

Although it’s meant to help us, hypervigilance still uses a lot of our internal resources, like analytical thinking, threat assessment, and escape route assessment. It’s a bit like having too many tabs open in our browser: all of the spare RAM is used up by the hypervigilance process.

Unfortunately, hypervigilance is not a process we can easily cancel or shut down. We often must dig deep and examine why we became hypervigilant. A lot of healing work begins with talking about our past experiences with someone trustworthy while considering our thoughts and emotions connected to those experiences.

The Energy Used to Block Intrusive Thoughts and Triggering Memories

It is common to have unwanted thoughts and memories after going through trauma. Sometimes our bodies react in a situation before our minds have even processed the information. For example, a person might be out shopping when they smell a fragrance that they associate with an abusive person from their past. They could have an emotional reaction, or even a panic attack before they have made the connection between the smell and the trauma they went through.

Sometimes it takes effort to block these thoughts and memories, especially in cases where our trauma is linked to a location or a calendar date. As we near the triggering place or date, we must spend more effort to keep the thoughts and memories from our minds. This is exhausting to do, and it will drain us even over a short time.

Reliving Trauma

Another common aspect of trauma that drains us is reliving it. Logically, it might sound strange to relive a trauma, but many people do. Almost every trauma has two components: a feeling of fear and a feeling of having no control. These feelings tend to stick with us long after the initial traumatic experience has passed.

One of the ways people regain control and deal with that fear is to relive the experience. They may do that by talking about it, carefully exploring the details of it, or expressing it creatively or artistically, through song lyrics or journal entries for example. Another way is through therapeutic modalities like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) which may reduce the distress associated with traumatic memories.

Emotional Dysregulation

Trauma affects us mentally, physically, spiritually, and most of all, emotionally. Emotions are a bit like our heart rate in that when we are healthy, there are fluctuations here and there but for the most part, everything is level and even. When we are emotionally dysregulated, however, we experience wave after wave of extreme emotions, often in response to minor things. We might go from calm to panic, or from despondent to euphoric in short periods.

Just as with our heart rate, when there are huge fluctuations regularly, our physical health is affected. It’s exhausting for us and everyone around to have so many extreme emotions. We might have a sense of fear, frustration, or shame because we feel like we aren’t in control. Emotional dysregulation is often attached to trauma, and we can only regulate ourselves when we have unpacked our past experiences.

Wearing a Mask to Appear Normal

Everyone wears some type of mask every day, whether it’s to shield our children from our struggles or to keep prying coworkers out of our business. It is normal and even healthy to wear masks in certain situations. However, when we have gone through a trauma, we tend to mask so that we will appear “normal” and well-adjusted to others.

For example, a woman who is going through a divorce still must be professional at work and compassionate to her kids at home, all while trying to keep from falling apart in rage and despair. It takes effort to hold everything in and put a brave face on. Over time even the strongest people will experience fatigue from masking their emotions.

Rest for Our Souls

Trauma touches every part of our lives, whether we try to contain it or not. Many people go through something without even knowing it was traumatic, only to be affected weeks, months, or even years later. They might find that their sleep patterns are severely disrupted, and no matter what they do to find rest, they still find themselves exhausted and drained.

If you are in this position, know that you are not alone. It is possible to heal from trauma and find the deep kind of inner rest you need. It might take some work on your part to reach it. Healing from trauma is a journey, but there is an end in sight.

If you would like to begin opening up and processing past trauma, consider speaking with a counselor. Counselors operate with strict confidentiality, compassion, and professional insight into the things that affect people the most.

If you are ready to work with a counselor, contact our offices. We can help connect you with a therapist who is trained to help people affected by trauma. They will walk with you as you unpack your experiences. Begin the journey today by reaching out to us.