mental health awareness

When a person lives in a trauma body and has a trauma brain, they are conditioned to certain chemicals consistently being released in the brain and throughout the body. Those chemicals are associated with the fight/flight response. When the person finds themselves in a healthy, safe situation, their trauma body and trauma brain has to catch up with that feeling of safety. It’s foreign and can sometimes be scarier than fight/flight mode. The body will inevitably react. IBS flare ups. Racing thoughts. Heart palpitations. Panic attacks. If you find yourself in this situation, talk to someone. Your body and mind aren’t used to those wonderful, positive chemicals being released, but just as you were conditioned to fear and survival, you can be reconditioned for security and comfort. Tell yourself, “Here we are. We’re ok, we’re safe, we’re loved, and we made it.”

Can you believe we’ve made it to Spring 2023? It’s been a while since I’ve blogged. I miss it, but I rarely have time to for it anymore.

The last 18 months for me have involved a great deal of mental health construction and healing. I’ve been on a mission to become better acquainted with myself. It seems that I’ve been in a serious relationship throughout my entire life. For the last year and a half I have been single. I’ve been learning how to love myself. My son moved out. I have settled into the empty nest. It isn’t as terrible as what I thought it would be. It took some adjusting, but I’m okay with it.

I think it’s important to take the time to sincerely heal from any trauma you may have. I think that if we are unable to heal from our trauma, it not only costs each of us, but the relationships we forge will likely hinge on that level of unhealed self that lurks in the shadows of our mind. I tell the youth I work with all of the time to get the help they need. Take care of themselves. Take a moment to care for themselves. If I would have had the supports I needed as a young person, maybe I wouldn’t be in this place right now. However, I don’t regret being here in this space.

Anyway, I just wanted to drop by and say “hello.” I realize that the likelihood that I still faithful followers at this point is low. I no longer do author blogs and such. I haven’t published anything in quite some time. But for anyone who does see this, I hope you are well. 🙂