The traumatic experience can leave lasting impacts on people's sexual behaviors and body memories. It refers to any distressing event that affects an individual's physical, emotional, mental, social, or spiritual well-being. Sexual trauma is one of the most common types of trauma that many individuals may encounter at some point in their lives. According to studies, this type of trauma can significantly impact someone's sexuality and how they view it.
Sexual behavior involves all forms of interaction between two or more persons involving genitals or other erogenous zones. When an individual experiences sexual trauma, it leaves them feeling ashamed, embarrassed, confused, isolated, guilty, unworthy, and even abnormal. The experience might also lead to changes in their sexual orientation or preferences. This is because such individuals develop an intense fear of experiencing another similar incident again. They become scared about sex and feel disconnected from themselves.
Body memory refers to the mental image of a person's body. It occurs when an individual recalls past events and sensations through touch and sensory perception. When an individual experiences trauma, it causes the brain to store information about what happened during the event for future reference. Thus, these stored images are called body memories. These memories make it hard for the victim to relax and enjoy intimacy. Some of the ways in which trauma imprints itself onto sexual behavior and body memory include:
1. Memory loss
When a person experiences trauma, it becomes difficult to recall every detail due to stress hormones released in the brain. The hormone cortisol interferes with the hippocampus, which stores new information into long-term memory. Therefore, people have difficulties remembering previous experiences and forming new ones. This phenomenon makes it challenging for victims to relive their sexual experiences.
2. Flashbacks
Flashbacks refer to reliving the past by seeing or hearing things that happened in the traumatic situation. This can happen at any time without notice, especially when someone encounters something that reminds them of their experience. As a result, they may act out violently towards others or avoid situations associated with the trauma. This affects their sexual behavior as they develop phobia for things like kissing, foreplay, penetration, etc., as they may associate such actions with pain.
3. Fear of sex
Following a traumatic incident, some individuals become scared of engaging in sexual activities. They might fear physical contact, lack interest in sex, or avoid intimacy altogether. Such incidents might lead to self-blame, shame, and guilt, leading to a decreased desire to be close to anyone.
4. Body image distortion
The traumatic event leaves victims feeling disconnected from their bodies. It causes them to feel ashamed, unworthy, and embarrassed about themselves. They lose control over their body and believe they are not deserving of pleasure. Some also get anxiety attacks during sex due to fear of getting hurt again. These feelings make it hard for victims to view themselves positively or accept who they are.
5. Aversion to certain stimuli
Trauma victims tend to develop an aversion to certain objects, places, people, or situations linked to the experience.
After being raped, they may fear men, dark places, loud noises, or even touch. These aversions prevent people from enjoying sexual activities, which leads to poor sexual performance. Victims may also avoid talking about their experiences or seek professional help because of social stigma.
How does trauma imprint itself onto sexual behavior and body memory?
Traumatic experiences can have profound effects on an individual's sexual behavior and body memory. When an individual experiences a traumatic event, their mind and body are often overwhelmed with stress hormones that can cause changes in brain structure and functioning. These changes may lead to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can manifest in various ways including alterations in sexual behavior.