What is touch? Touch involves physical contact between two surfaces. Touch can be gentle or intense. It can be brief or sustained. Touch can be sensual or non-sexual. Physiologically, touch is mediated through receptors that detect pressure, vibration, heat, pain, temperature, texture, and tactile stimuli. Emotionally, touch can elicit feelings of pleasure, comfort, security, affection, attraction, or repulsion. Psychologically, touch may indicate closeness or distance, belonging or alienation. Culturally, touch has different meanings across cultures and contexts. How does trauma alter the body's capacity to interpret or trust touch? When someone experiences a traumatic event, their nervous system undergoes changes that persist long after the initial incident. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) activates during stressful situations, preparing the body for fight/flight responses. This can lead to increased heart rate, blood flow, adrenaline production, and cortisol release. Trauma memories become stored in implicit memory rather than explicit memory. Implicit memories are unconscious and difficult to access, but they can have powerful effects on behavior. When trauma survivors encounter potential triggers such as sights, sounds, smells, tastes, or touches related to their trauma, their ANS can react with fear or agitation instead of safety or relaxation.
If someone was sexually assaulted, seeing another person naked may trigger anxiety or panic attacks. If someone experienced physical abuse, being touched by another person could cause them to flinch or freeze up.
How does this affect intimacy and relationships? Sexual and romantic touch is often initiated through invitations, signals, and non-verbal cues.
People who have been traumatized may struggle to read these signs or feel comfortable reciprocating. They may become hypervigilant about perceived threats from others or hyperactive in responding to potential dangers. In addition, they may experience hyperarousal reactions to stimuli that would not typically provoke an emotional response in others. Their bodies may be primed for a stress reaction even when there is no danger present. People who have suffered trauma may also avoid intimate contact because it reminds them of past pain or shame. This can lead to feelings of isolation, disconnection, and loneliness. To navigate these issues, it's important for partners to communicate openly and compassionately with one another. They should set clear boundaries around what types of touch are acceptable and safe for both parties. They should seek professional help if necessary and work together towards healing and growth.
Trauma alters the body's capacity to interpret or trust touch. The nervous system becomes conditioned to see touch as potentially dangerous or life-threatening. Survivors may struggle to read social cues or engage in intimate behavior. It takes time and effort to build trust and safety after experiencing trauma. By communicating openly, setting boundaries, and seeking support, couples can overcome these challenges and deepen their relationship.
In what ways does trauma alter the body's capacity to interpret or trust touch?
Trauma can affect an individual's ability to perceive, process, and respond to physical contact in various ways. It is known that traumatic experiences can alter the nervous system's physiology and functioning, which may result in decreased sensitivity to stimuli such as touch (Hyland et al. , 2016).