Our bodies are filled with electrical and chemical impulses that keep our brain and body in constant communication. Most of the time, we actively decipher the information and can quickly interpret it; a common example of this is when we accidentally touch a hot surface, our body moves away without conscious thought to do so.
However, in traumatic situations, our body can’t tell the difference between physical danger and emotional distress. It logs the memory deep within our tissues, which triggers the body to release the same chemical and electrical impulses anytime a sound, smell, sight or sensation comes along that reminds our subconscious of the trauma. The primal part of the brain believes its body to be in physical danger, which is why trauma survivors have physical symptoms for weeks, months and, many times, years.
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