The body is a complex organic machine that can be affected by many external factors, such as emotions and thoughts. Traumatic experiences can have significant impacts on survivors' perception of their bodies, including changes in physical sensations, distorted thoughts about one's own body, alterations in self-esteem, and difficulties regulating emotions related to intimate relationships. This article will discuss how trauma disrupts survivors' perception of self, bodily integrity, and relational autonomy.
Perception of Self
Trauma can cause a person to view themselves differently from others, leading to a lack of identity or self-worth. Survivors may feel like they are no longer who they were before the event occurred and struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, fear, anger, sadness, or anxiety due to what happened to them. They might also question why it happened or wonder if there was something they could have done differently. These negative thoughts can lead to an increased sense of isolation and loneliness, creating barriers between them and other people.
A woman who has been sexually assaulted may feel ashamed of her body and avoid contact with men altogether, believing she deserves the abuse because she looks a certain way.
Bodily Integrity
Physical sensations and emotions can become linked after experiencing trauma, making survivors hypervigilant to any unpleasant sensory stimuli. A study found that individuals who experienced sexual violence exhibited heightened responses to threatening social cues such as facial expressions or verbal threats compared to those who had not experienced sexual assault (Aiyeola et al., 2015). This suggests that traumatic events affect physical reactions, including heart rate, breathing patterns, muscle tension, and skin conductance response (SCR), which is related to sweating when aroused. When these responses occur in response to innocuous situations, they can be confusing for survivors trying to regulate their emotions.
Relational Autonomy
Intimate relationships are often disrupted by trauma since trust and vulnerability play key roles in close connections. Survivors may find it difficult to open up emotionally and physically with others out of fear of being hurt again. Alternatively, they may engage in risk-taking behaviors due to feelings of low self-worth or desire for validation from others. They may also have difficulty recognizing healthy boundaries and setting limits, leading to relationships where they give more than they receive or get taken advantage of.
Someone who has been sexually assaulted might struggle to feel comfortable with intimacy due to an intense fear of being objectified and manipulated again.
Trauma causes significant changes in how survivors view themselves, perceive their bodies, and navigate relationships. Understanding these effects is essential for helping survivors heal and rebuild a sense of safety within themselves and their relationships.
In what ways does trauma disrupt survivors' perception of self, bodily integrity, and relational autonomy?
Traumatic experiences can have lasting effects on an individual's sense of identity, self-perception, and ability to form and maintain healthy relationships with others. For many survivors of trauma, these impacts may manifest as a loss of control over their physical and mental states, difficulties regulating emotions, and difficulty trusting themselves or others.