Yes, trauma can make you feel emotionally stuck at the age it occurred, not literally, but through age regression, where unresolved emotions and behaviors from the traumatic time resurface as a survival mechanism, leading to arrested psychological development and difficulty regulating emotions as an adult. Your brain and body can stay in survival mode (fight/flight/freeze), causing you to re-experience feelings and act like a younger self when triggered, even if you don't consciously remember.
As a clear example, early ACEs such as abuse, neglect, and other traumas affect brain development and increase a person's vulnerability to encountering interpersonal violence as an adult and to developing chronic diseases and other physical illnesses, mental illnesses, substance-related disorders, and impairment in ...
As a trauma psychologist, I often see how unresolved trauma leaves individuals feeling like they are frozen in time, perpetually stuck at the age when their trauma happened. This phenomenon can make someone feel and even behave as though they are much younger than their chronological age.
Mindfulness and relaxation techniques
Meditation encourages relaxation and mindfulness, helping individuals process and release trauma. Breathing exercises, such as deep breathing, diaphragmatic breathing, or box breathing, can calm the nervous system and reduce stress through deep breath.
How long will it take for these feelings to go away? It can take a few days, weeks or even months to recover from a traumatic event. If someone is still experiencing some distress after a month, but these feelings are improving slowly, they will probably get better and not need treatment.
While all traumas leave a profound mark on an individual's life, there's a different level of difficulty in recovering from what's called "complex trauma." Unlike single-incident traumas, complex trauma stems from repeated experiences of stressful and traumatic events, usually in environments where there's no escape.
The five stages – denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance – are often talked about as if they happen in order, moving from one stage to the other. You might hear people say things like 'Oh I've moved on from denial and now I think I'm entering the angry stage'. But this isn't often the case.
Because our nervous system and brain can hold onto painful and traumatic events, chronic pain can be very real and present even after the physical injury has healed.
7 Clear Signs Your Body Is Releasing Stored Trauma
Can I heal from childhood trauma without therapy? While professional support is recommended, self-healing strategies like mindfulness, journaling, creative expression, and physical practices can support recovery.
“For trauma survivors, especially those who've experienced neglect or emotional invalidation, oversharing can feel like a fast-track to safety or intimacy — even if it bypasses healthy relationship pacing.” Figueroa adds that you might also overshare intimate details to avoid feeling rejected or unseen.
8 Signs of Childhood Trauma in Adults
Things Never to Say to Trauma Survivors
Symptoms of Unhealed Trauma
Psychodynamic trauma therapy is a highly effective treatment that focuses on identifying and addressing the underlying psychological causes of trauma. It works by exploring a patient's past experiences and their impact on their current behaviors and emotions.
The Heart and Lungs: The Rhythm of Distress
People grappling with trauma often have increased heart rates and shallow, rapid breathing – classic signs of the fight-or-flight response. The body, mistaking trauma's echoes for immediate threats, kicks into survival mode, sending the heart and lungs into overdrive.
Smiling or laughing when disclosing trauma can be an indicator of shame. Some trauma survivors hold deeply entrenched feelings of self-blame and other distorted and inaccurate thoughts about the role they believe they played in their abuse.
Survivors of childhood family trauma typically go through 6 stages in their path to healing: pre-awareness, uncovering, digging in, healing, understanding, and nurturing. Using elements from her clinical work, as well as personal experience, Gillis provides support and tips for survivors navigating these 6 stages.
Trauma Signs and Symptoms
Understanding Grief Trauma and Its Impact on the Body
Trauma can get stored deep in your muscles, in your breath, and even in the way your heart beats. And over time, if that grief isn't released, it can start to affect your body in ways you might not expect.
Often, when someone is stuck in the past, it's because of unresolved emotions. It can be difficult to address these feelings, especially if they relate to painful experiences. However, recognising and accepting our emotions is the first step towards emotional healing and growth.
It won't rid you of PTSD and your fears, but let your tears flow and you'll maybe feel a little better afterwards. 'Crying for long periods of time releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, otherwise known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals can help ease both physical and emotional pain.
Recovery
Recovery is the final stage of PTSD. It occurs when a person takes action to heal from trauma. They might seek professional help and prioritize self-care. They may also gain a sense of hope and control over their lives.
Anticipatory grief means feeling sad before the loss occurs. Rather than grieving for the person, who is still with you, you may feel grief for the things you won't get to do together in the future.
A Level V Trauma Center provides initial evaluation, stabilization and diagnostic capabilities and prepares patients for transfer to higher levels of care.