Symptoms of Trauma | Is Unresolved Trauma Holding You Back?

The good news is that trauma can be healed. Addressing trauma involves not only understanding the event itself, but also integrating the physical and emotional responses held in the body. Somatic therapies, which focus on nervous system regulation, body awareness, and emotional attunement, can be powerful tools for releasing the trapped energy and helping you feel safe in your body once again.

When working with a somatic therapist, you may focus on embodying your emotions, noticing how they manifest physically, and gently shifting your relationship with those sensations. Through this process, you can move from feeling stuck or overwhelmed to developing resilience, self-regulation, and a greater sense of empowerment.

Trauma-informed therapy recognizes that healing isn’t just about talking through your experiences—it’s about re-regulating the body, releasing trapped energy, and transforming the way you feel about yourself and your life. Working with a skilled therapist, you can process the past and reclaim your capacity for joy, connection, and meaning.

healing from trauma

Unresolved trauma can affect the immune system, leading to chronic conditions like autoimmune diseases, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and gastrointestinal issues. When the nervous system is in a heightened state of stress for long periods (due to past trauma), it disrupts the body’s normal functioning, leading to these kinds of symptoms.

In addition, trauma can create patterns of "numbing" or avoidance—which can sometimes manifest in health issues like eating disorders, substance abuse, or dissociative behaviors. The body may struggle to cope with emotions, and as a result, physical symptoms may arise.

Trauma’s Role in Chronic Health Conditions:

Addictive behaviors (substance abuse, compulsive behaviors, overeating)
Difficulty forming or maintaining healthy relationships (due to fear, trust issues, or emotional unavailability)
People-pleasing behaviors (difficulty saying no, fear of rejection or conflict)
Self-destructive behaviors (self-harm, reckless decisions, or sabotaging success)
Overworking (excessive work as a distraction from emotional pain)
Difficulty focusing or concentrating (often related to ADHD-like symptoms)

Behavioral Symptoms:

Chronic pain (such as headaches, back pain, muscle tension)
Fatigue (feeling constantly drained, low energy)
Sleep disturbances (insomnia, nightmares, or waking up frequently)
Food sensitivities or digestive issues (IBS, bloating, nausea, etc.)
Autoimmune disorders (conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or fibromyalgia)
Heart palpitations or increased heart rate
Breathing difficulties (shortness of breath, tight chest, or hyperventilation)
Tension in the body (neck, shoulders, jaw clenching)
Headaches or migraines
Skin issues (acne, rashes, eczema)

Physical Symptoms:

Anxiety (constant worry, nervousness, panic attacks)
Depression (feeling numb, hopeless, or disconnected)
Mood swings (difficulty managing emotions or frequent emotional highs and lows)
Hypervigilance (feeling on edge, constantly alert, or jumpy)
Difficulty trusting others (fear of betrayal or abandonment)
Intrusive thoughts (flashbacks, nightmares, or repetitive memories)
Guilt and shame (self-blame or feeling unworthy)
Low self-esteem (feeling unimportant or that you're not enough)
Detachment or dissociation (feeling disconnected from your body or reality)
Avoidance (avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you of the trauma)

Emotional and psychological symptoms:

Common symptoms of trauma

Trauma is an experience that overwhelms our system, often triggering survival responses like fight, flight, or freeze, and leaving unresolved energy trapped in the body and mind. Trauma can occur when something happens too much, too fast, or too little for too long, or when we are exposed to overwhelming events too soon. These experiences can leave us feeling stuck, disconnected, or unable to fully process or integrate what happened. While our minds may try to rationalize the event, "the body keeps the score," storing the emotional and physical memory of the trauma in ways that may not always be consciously recognized.

Trauma can be Big T—like accidents, assaults, natural disasters, or violent events—or little t, like emotional neglect, boundary violations, chronic stress, or long-term bullying. Both forms of trauma affect the nervous system and influence how we view ourselves and interact with the world. The impact of trauma is unique to each individual, depending on their experiences, histories, and resilience factors.

The symptoms of unresolved trauma can manifest in various ways, often influencing both mental and physical health. Continue reading to learn the more common signs of unresolved trauma.

What is trauma?