Trauma causes physical arousal because it activates the body's primal fight-or-flight response, flooding the system with stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, preparing for perceived threats by increasing heart rate, blood flow, and muscle tension, which feels like heightened energy or anxiety, often called hyperarousal. This system gets stuck on "high alert" after trauma, misinterpreting normal stimuli as dangerous, leading to jitteriness, rapid heart rate, and an exaggerated startle reflex, even in safe situations.
Structural and Functional Changes in the Brain that Impact Hyperarousal. There are three main brain structures involved in the stress response including the amygdala, hippocampus, and pre-frontal cortex. Changes in the functioning of the areas of the brain following trauma contribute to symptoms of hyperarousal.
Traumatic events can create a high level of arousal—or feeling alert or "on guard"—as well, which causes people to react strongly to sounds and sights around them. If you understand what is happening when you or someone you know reacts to a traumatic event, you may be less fearful and better able to cope.
7 Clear Signs Your Body Is Releasing Stored Trauma
Emotional shock can cause physical symptoms like a fast heartbeat, dizziness, and muscle tension. Therapy, such as CBT or DBT, can help treat emotional shock and PTSD. Avoid pressure to talk about or process the situation while overwhelmed.
Some of the signs of unhealed trauma may include:
The key is finding ways to release that stored trauma and chronic stress. Practices like somatic experiencing, yoga, and meditation can help regulate the nervous system and promote relaxation. By releasing trauma from the body, we can start to experience greater physical and emotional well-being.
But in my experience, emotional healing happens in seven stages: awareness, acceptance, processing, release, growth, integration, and transformation. We don't move through these seven stages in a straight line, but we do pass through them all eventually on the path to healing.
Everyday Signs That Trauma Might Still Be Stored
Someone might struggle with sleep, snap at a loved one without understanding why, or catch themselves zoning out in meetings. These moments might be brushed off as stress, fatigue, or personality, but they can reflect deeper layers of emotion still carried within.
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.
"Too much arousal" can stem from various factors, including high stress/anxiety, hormonal shifts, certain medications (like some for Parkinson's), neurological conditions (epilepsy, brain injury), or underlying mental health issues (PTSD, OCD). It can also relate to specific issues like Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder (PGAD) or hypersexuality, often involving imbalances in brain chemicals (dopamine, serotonin) or nerve problems, and warrants a doctor's visit for diagnosis.
The 7 stages of trauma bonding describe a cycle in abusive relationships, typically starting with Love Bombing, followed by Trust & Dependency, then Criticism & Devaluation, leading to Manipulation & Gaslighting, causing the victim to Resign & Give Up, leading to a Loss of Self, and finally resulting in Emotional Addiction to the intermittent rewards of the cycle, keeping the person trapped. This cycle, theorized by Dr. Patrick Carnes, traps victims by making them reliant on the abuser for validation, creating a powerful, albeit destructive, bond.
The 'fight or flight' response is how people sometimes refer to our body's automatic reactions to fear. There are actually 5 of these common responses, including 'freeze', 'flop' and 'friend', as well as 'fight' or 'flight'.
Common Symptoms of a CPTSD Episode
Intense feelings of anxiety or panic. Flashbacks or intrusive memories of the traumatic event. Overwhelming feelings of sadness or despair. Heightened emotional sensitivity or irritability.
The prefrontal cortex regulates emotions and decision-making but can be impaired in PTSD, making it harder to control fear. The hippocampus manages memory and helps distinguish past experiences from the present; changes here can cause flashbacks and intrusive thoughts.
The most obvious signs of emotional arousal involve changes in the activity of the visceral motor (autonomic) system (see Chapter 21). Thus, increases or decreases in heart rate, cutaneous blood flow (blushing or turning pale), piloerection, sweating, and gastrointestinal motility can all accompany various emotions.
Physical Sensations
Tremors or Shaking: These involuntary movements can occur as the body releases stored energy associated with traumatic experiences. Tingling or Warmth: You may feel tingling sensations or warmth in certain areas of your body as trauma is processed and released.
The "3 C's of Trauma" usually refer to Connect, Co-Regulate, and Co-Reflect, a model for trauma-informed care focusing on building safe relationships, helping individuals manage overwhelming emotions (co-regulation), and processing experiences (co-reflection). Other "3 C's" include Comfort, Conversation, and Commitment for children's coping, and Catch, Check, Change from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for challenging negative thoughts in trauma recovery.
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.
The “90-second rule,” introduced by Harvard neuroscientist Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor, reveals that an emotional surge in the body lasts only about 90 seconds—unless we mentally keep it alive.
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.
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.
The Trauma-Healing Diet
Fatigue can develop because releasing trauma can be physically and emotionally exhausting. You may feel more tired as your mind works through complex emotions and memories. Additionally, the trauma release may involve physical sensations or movements that can be tiring.