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TRAUMA, PTSD,
NEUROSYSTEMIC INTEGRATION

Trauma?
Me?

Many individuals encounter traumatic experiences without fully acknowledging them. Each of us possesses unique resources and capabilities for managing highly stressful events and confronting threatening situations.

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According to current research findings, approximately 66% of the European population has encountered at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Trautmann and Wittchen (2018) estimate that between 1% and 3% of Europeans have exhibited symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the past year, equating to around 7.7 million individuals. The prevalence of PTSD varies significantly among European countries due to various factors.

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A study conducted by a WHO consortium (Koenen et al., 2017), analyzing 26 global mental health survey datasets from 2001 to 2012, revealed that 70.4% of respondents across 24 countries had experienced at least one traumatic event, with 30.5% experiencing four or more. The prevalence of PTSD stood at 3.9% across all countries, rising to 5.6% among those exposed to traumatic events. Half of individuals with PTSD reported enduring symptoms.

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In Denmark, Philip Hyland and colleagues (2017) conducted a survey among a cohort of 24-year-olds (n=2 980) concerning their traumatic experiences during childhood and adolescence. Eighty-seven percent of respondents reporte at least one traumatic event. In 4% of cases, researchers identified symptoms suggestive of complex PTSD.

"Trauma ist etwas sehr Individuelles.
Was für den einen 'nur' ein Schrecken ist, kann für den anderen eine Situation von traumatischen Ausmaß sein."

Verena König (2021, S.28)

What is Trauma?

The impact of trauma doesn't lie in the event itself, but rather in the aftermath, which manifests in emotional, physical, mental, and behavioral reactions. Particularly, the intensity and force of the experience often overwhelm the affected person’s coping mechanisms.

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The repercussions are evident at the level of our nervous system. We may find ourselves unable to mobilise enough energy to ward off danger or threat and restore a sense of security. Without external support and in the face of overwhelming intensity, our protective mechanisms may collapse, both physically and mentally.

 

Initial intense reactions may trigger a response of fight or flight. However, if neither option is feasible or if the overstimulation of the nervous system persists for an extended period, feelings of vulnerability, incapacity and helplessness may ensue. This condition is often indicative of potential trauma, which can later develop into post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

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Many traumas originate in childhood, where the options of fight or flight were generally unavailable. To cope with such situations, children develop mechanisms of adaptation, dissociation and compensation to handle what is otherwise unbearable.

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However, these survival strategies from childhood may persist into adulthood as enduring behaviours, offering a sense of safety in familiar patterns. Despite feeling "normal" to us, these behaviours may be far from appropriate and can hinder an authentic experience in the here and now.

"Trauma is a highly activated incomplete biological response to threat, frozen in time. For example, when we prepare to fight or to flee, muscles throughout our entire body are tensed in specific patterns of high energy readiness. When we are unable to complete the appropriate actions, we fail to discharge the tremendous energy generated by our survival preparations. This energy becomes fixed in specific patterns of neuromuscular readiness. The person then stays in a state of acute and then chronic arousal and dysfunction in the central nervous system. Traumatized people are not suffering from a disease in the normal sense of the word- they have become stuck in an aroused state."

Payne, P., Levine, P.A., Crane-Godreau, M.A. (2015, p. 14)

What occurs when we experience post-traumatic disorder?

Those who have undergone traumatic experiences may encounter varied and intense repercussions that manifest across different levels.

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Physically, individuals may struggle with concentration difficulties, sleep disturbances, anxiety, migraines, or even autoimmune diseases.

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Emotionally, they might experience profound feelings of helplessness, accompanied by sudden, intense, and unexplained emotional reactions. They may also grapple with feelings of disconnection from themselves, as well as uncertainty regarding their desires or abilities.

 

Socially, withdrawal and isolation can exacerbate these challenges, leading to a disconnect from family and friends, as well as a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities. This despondency can significantly impact relationships, making them unsatisfying. Additionally, certain individuals or environments may be perceived as threatening and actively avoided, often without apparent reason.

"Trauma victims cannot recover until they become familiar with and befriend the sensations in their bodies. Being frightened means that you live in a body that is always on guard. Angry people live in angry bodies. The bodies of child-abuse victims are tense and defensive until they find a way to relax and feel safe. In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past."

Van der Kolk, B.A: (2014, S.101)

How can Neurosystemic Integration (NI) assist in consciously managing the aftermath of trauma? 

Traumatic experiences leave a profound imprint on the human system, often resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our system, in a survival strategy, unconsciously fragments traumatic experiences into disparate fragments. Unfortunately, the energy from the "initial impact" remains stored in the system and can be reactivated under unfavorable conditions, repeatedly flooding or unbalancing our system. However, we are not without recourse, as we have the ability to reshape our neural networks at any age.

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In the face of this overwhelming mix of physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts, neurosystemic integration (NI) takes a holistic approach, focusing primarily on our body and nervous system. Our body plays a fundamental role, as nothing in us exists outside of our body. Our thoughts trigger emotions, which then elicit physical sensations and reactions. This bidirectional interaction underscores the importance of bodily sensations in NI, as they serve as a conduit to reconnect with our emotions, representations, and thoughts, allowing fragmented experiences to coalesce and retained energy to flow smoothly.

 

A nervous system strained by persistent stress struggles to tolerate additional stress. NI's holistic approach strives to maintain arousal levels within our "window of tolerance" or even gradually widen this window. Consequently, NI strengthens our bodily resources, practices co-regulation, and anchors us in the here and now. This facilitates the smooth, careful, and safe flow of retained energy, reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, integrating traumatic experiences, and enhancing relaxation and well-being.

 

NI does not delve into the frightening content of the traumatic event itself but rather focuses on present sensations and what individuals perceive as illogical, disturbing, or problematic. 

For NI, it matters that we understand the causes of our feelings and behaviour and that there is a logical and understandable reason for all of this. 

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