The Trauma of Grief and Loss

Physical trauma is any injury or damage caused by physical harm from an external source and psychological trauma is a 'damage' to the psyche that occurs as a result of a distressing event. All of us deal with minor traumas both physical and emotional. If you have experienced one or more major traumas you may find yourself struggling with upsetting emotions, difficult memories and a sense of constant danger. You may feel overwhelmed and there may be numbness, disconnection from yourself and others and issues with trust. When a major trauma happens, it can be difficult to get through and it takes time before you feel safe and ok again. Homeopathy is an amazing tool to address the issue of trauma whether it was an accident or a difficult situation, whether it happened recently or a long time ago.


A little more about when trauma happens. A person is more likely to be traumatized by a stressful experience if they are already under a lot of stress or have been previously traumatized. The more frightened and helpless you feel at the time, the more likely you are to be traumatized by an experience or situation. All trauma is experienced within a spectrum that is individual and variable over time. Some of the common experiences that can lead to trauma are:

• An externally caused situation such as an accident, injury, natural disaster, violent attack or a surgery, especially before age 3.
• Ongoing stress maybe due to a serious illness, issues related to chronic poverty or previous unresolved major traumas.
• Feeling that you are unsafe and in danger which can be an outside event such as a civil war or a perceived threat such as a phobia, it does not matter to the body as the experience is still one of chronic stress.
•  Internally experienced events such as the loss of a loved one, a break-up or a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience.

Childhood trauma increases the risk of experiencing current trauma
When we experience trauma as a child it can have serious and long lasting effects. It is one of the main reasons people seek out therapy as adults. As I mentioned, the more frightened and helpless we feel the more traumatized we can be by an experience and childhood is a time of helplessness, dependence on others and uncertainty as we learn and grow. When the early traumas are not resolved this disrupts a child's sense of safety and the feeling of fear and helplessness can carry over into adulthood and set us up for recurring trauma. All experience is completely subjective and individual but some of the more common reasons for early trauma are:

• An unstable or unsafe environment
• Separation from a parent
• Serious illness
• Intrusive medical procedures
• Sexual, physical, or verbal abuse
• Domestic violence
• Neglect
• Bullying

Homeopathy as a tool for recovery
In a homeopathic session it is not the situation or facts that determine whether an event is or was traumatic, but the person's own subjective, inner experience of the event. Since we all carry trauma of some degree inside of us there is always room for healing or resolution. This can include a surgery we had and the area never seemed fully recovered, or when we were laughed at for something we said and we can't let it go years later, or thinking we did something really dumb or being teased about something we were sensitive to and our confidence was shaken. Then there are the moments of pain and tragedy that occur in everyone's life such as death of loved ones, job loss, financial loss, separations.
We can ask ourself if the trauma was overwhelming at the time and if it continues to be overwhelming and if we answer yes to that, seeking out support from a professional homeopath can be a big, first step in the journey back to ourselves and wholeness where we can become more resilient to trauma. Some of the common symptoms we may experience when trauma is not resolved and we are stuck in a state of overwhelm.

• Shock, denial or disbelief
• Confusion and difficulty concentrating
• Anger and irritability
• Irrational mood swings
• Fatigue
• Anxiety and fears, phobias
• Guilt, shame, self-blame
• Withdrawing from others
• Feeling sad or hopelesss
• Changes in weight
• Feeling disconnected or numb
• Using alcohol or drugs to feel better
• Insomnia or nightmares
• Being startled easily
• Edginess and agitation
• Racing heartbeat
• Aches and pains
• Muscle tension

In each session, the homeopath and the person seeking help work to explore the health history, symptoms both physical and emotional, and what would like to be achieved by the process. In acute trauma cases, the process can be quick to explore and resolve, usually a remedy choice is simple and other than tissue repair, the physical adaptation and healing time can be short. For emotional and psychological traumas, a deeper exploration of the person's inner experience and the subjective impressions is often needed. This can be a life transforming process and gives the person a chance to learn more about themselves and what their triggers to traumas might be. This is a major part of the learning to resolve and release trauma. The homeopathic remedy works as an informative signal to the body and helps facilitate this process at a non-rational, nonverbal level furthering the healing and resolution in ways other methods can not do as quickly or as gently. Using homeopathic remedies, change and adaptation also occurs naturally, and globally, and the person can feel a greater sense of wellbeing, a reduction in anxiety and stress related symptoms and increased energy and enthusiasm for life!

It is also important to release our traumas before we pass them on to the next generation. In my next post I will discuss trans-generational trauma.

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How does holistic treatment support healthy living? Why try homeopathy? Having a life long study in the principles of nature and healthy living, Lauren Trimble is happy to share her knowledge and experience. The art of retuning the body’s natural healing capacity & developing consciousness in a compassionate and gentle way is the gift that homeopathy brings to her current holistic practice. If you enjoyed this article find out more at Birdsong.