Trauma creates changes in your brain that trigger the fight or flight response (sympathetic mode) and freeze or fold response (survival mode). These responses can become so second-nature that stress hormones are released even without the stimulus of a threat in your environment. Over time, this process can lead to neurological changes and nervous system dysfunction. As a child, when you experience a traumatic event, it typically goes unrecognized. Unless you had parents that are very aware of the long-term impacts of trauma, you likely just had to move forward and shake it off.
