Let me clear up one myth: trauma doesn’t always have to be about the mind. Most common factors that come to mind as soon as you think about trauma are memories, emotions, anxiety, or psychological distress. What is less understood is that trauma is also a physiological experience, one that can leave a lasting imprint on the body, and specifically on the gut.
The digestive system and the brain are constantly communicating through what is known as the gut-brain axis. So basically, when the body experiences chronic stress or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), this entire network becomes disrupted. In a healthy state, the body alternates between periods of activity and recovery. Digestion thrives when the nervous system feels safe and operates in a parasympathetic, or rest-and-digest state. However, chronic stress keeps the body locked in survival mode. This is one of the reasons why many individuals dealing with chronic stress or unresolved trauma experience symptoms such as bloating, constipation, diarrhoea, acid reflux, abdominal discomfort, food sensitivities, or irritable bowel syndrome. The gut is often responding to a nervous system that no longer feels safe. Trauma can also influence the gut microbiome. Chronic stress has also been shown to alter the diversity and composition of beneficial gut bacteria. At an even deeper level, the body mostly stores the imprint of experiences that the mind has not fully processed yet. This is why healing trauma is not always about talking through it. When the nervous system begins to feel safe again, digestion usually improves alongside it.
Because the microbiome plays an important role in regulating inflammation, immunity, and even mood, these changes can affect the body more broadly.
“This communication happens via the nerves, hormones, immune signals, and even the gut microbiome” Mugdha Pradhan, functional medicine practitioner, certified breathwork practitioner, and Founder & CEO of iThrive tells Health Shots . “As the deficiencies start developing, people might experience symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, poor recovery, low mood, and worsening resilience to stress, further developing a cycle that becomes difficult to break” says functional medicine practitioner. “Practices that help regulate the nervous system, such as breathwork, mindfulness, movement, adequate sleep, some time in nature, and supportive relationships, can be equally important” says breathwork practitioner.
