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In times like the COVID-19 pandemic, where stress and challenges are widespread, it can feel as if we have entered into an unfair dodgeball game where stressors are constantly thrown at us from the left and right. In addition to the upheaval from regular life that comes with a pandemic, there are also the traumatic experiences that compound stress.
As I discuss in my Trauma of Pandemic Proportions article, times of collective trauma like the COVID-19 pandemic can lead to feelings of grief, sadness, depression, anxiety, and panic, along with other mental health consequences. Although there may be some similarities in how stress can affect individuals, the level of difficulties and mental health consequences that stress can cause vary greatly.
What are the factors that contribute to the diversity in the effects of stress and traumatic stress? Why do we all respond differently?
Some of these factors may include neurobiological differences, different levels of internal and external resources (e.g. support systems, cognitive self-talk, access to mental health care, etc.), differing coping strategies, and trauma history. In particular, it is important to recognize how having a trauma history (especially a complex trauma history) may lead some to struggle with increased mental health consequences during times of stress and crisis.
To demonstrate, I want you to take a walk with me. We are going to walk through life together. At the start of our journey, we all get a backpack that we take with us. In this backpack, we hold our unique memories and experiences that have touched us deeply, formed the way we see ourselves and the world, and made an impact on the wiring of our brain and how we respond to stress.
There are the positive experiences in our life that we carry with us, but as we go through life and we experience difficult times (for example loss, betrayals, insecurities, rejection, or other challenges that negatively impact us) we may find that stones are added to our backpack. Our load may gradually increase. Although we all have stones that may be added to our backpack, these stones vary greatly in shape and size based on our different experiences and how they impact us. These stones can represent the neurobiological consequences of the hardships experienced in life.
Although the stones vary in size, when someone experiences trauma, the stones added to the backpack can be particularly heavy; which can make the journey more exhausting and more challenging at times. In particular, for those who have experienced complex trauma (or multiple compounding events of trauma), they may find their load to be particularly heavy as multiple stones may be added to their bag.
Now, when a new stressor comes into our lives (for example, the COVID-19 pandemic), an additional rock is placed in our backpacks. We are then required to learn to adapt and cope with the change in “weight” and “pressure” we are carrying. Yet, for those who have a bag that is already heavy to carry, this added stressor can lead to feelings of overwhelm, exhaustion, and distress.
In times of immense stress, it can be difficult to process what is happening in the world around us. This time may be particularly challenging for individuals who are already working to navigate through traumatic stress, PTSD, and mental health consequences of trauma. As Kezelman and Stavropoulos (2012) describe, “trauma is profoundly disruptive of integration” in the brain which leads to challenges in the brain communicating effectively. This disintegration can lead to increased difficulties in processing experiences and coping with distress. Where processing and coping with stress can already be a challenge, trauma survivors may have the added weight and challenge of neurobiological changes in their brain that lead to difficulties in processing and coping.
It is important to note, that the recognition of these consequences that trauma can have on the brain does not diminish the immense resilience of trauma survivors. In fact, some of the strongest individuals I know were those trauma survivors I met in my counseling office who I watched navigate life with the added "weight" that they did not ask for. Instead, the hope of this article is to provide a better understanding of how times of increased stress can lead to increased difficulties for those already struggling with traumatic stress.
In response, may we use this understanding as a tool to further diminish the stigmatization on the effects of trauma and the journey survivors face. May we increasingly work towards having patience and empathy with ourselves and others as we navigate trauma and stressful times. Let it also encourage us to support ourselves and others around us as we work in life to adapt and carry or lighten our “load." Whether it is counseling, walks in nature, reaching out to our support system, prayer, mindfulness, exercise, getting adequate sleep and proper nutrition, or using a number of other coping mechanisms (for more on coping, see Coping Tips for Traumatic Events and Disasters) we all deserve respect, care, and support in stressful times.
References
Kezelman, C, Stavropoulos, P. Practice guidelines for the treatment of complex trauma and trauma informed care service delivery. Adults Surviving Child Abuse, 2012.
Cozolino, L. (2002) The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy: Building and Rebuilding the Human Brain. New York: Norton.
