Many men and women who have survived severe trauma worry more than other people that they are “lazy” when they are not productive all the time.
That is a lie, and trauma survivors should not feel that way.
People who have suffered from trauma have brains that are overstressed, overstimulated, and overactive. Many of them have an enlarged amygdala, which controls the fight-or-flight response that we all have.
When someone has been through a traumatic situation, this response doesn’t work the way it should and brain can’t perceive things that have happened in the past with what’s happening in the present.
Photo Credit: Unsplash,Krists Luhaers
In other words, a traumatized brain is always trying to recreate the event, which obviously leads to complications. To keep up with normal, everyday life, these brains must work harder than ones that have experienced trauma.
Trauma survivors tend to overthink situations and they often feel shame and guilt, sometimes for feeling like they aren’t doing enough in life. This is where the laziness comes in. The brain runs through every possible scenario in different situations until the person is so exhausted, they can’t think to do anything but lay down to sleep and get some relief.
Photo Credit: Unsplash,Cristian Newman
The brain is sometimes tricked into making a person think they are responsible for something when that isn’t the case at all. This, obviously, can also lead to feelings of guilt and shame, which eventually runs its course and leads to exhaustion and inevitable napping or sleeping. This leads to feelings of “laziness” or not getting accomplished so negative feelings abound and the cycle repeats itself over and over.
It can be a very difficult trap for trauma survivors to escape from and that is why it’s crucial for them to attempt to shift to positive thinking. If you’ve suffered from trauma, it’s okay to rest, it’s okay to take breaks, and it’s okay to daydream.
And, most importantly, it’s okay to be LAZY sometimes. That way, you’re letting your brain heal.
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