Human beings are designed to cope with stress and threats. When an experience falls so far outside our expectation for safety that it overwhelms our ability to cope, it is considered traumatic. These events can include physical or emotional threats that we experience personally or witness, or if we come into contact with the aftermath. Some examples include: physical/sexual assaults, combat, accidents, natural disasters, domestic abuse/family violence, and chronic harassment or emotional abuse.
Human physiology has evolved to deal with a variety of threats. The fight, flight, or freeze system is activated by perceived threats and initiates a series of physical and emotional responses that help us survive. It provides us with the motivation and energy to protect ourselves from harm. However, even with this specialized system, we don’t always succeed at protecting ourselves or those around us. When this happens, our brains focus on remembering the people, places, sights, sounds, and smells associated with danger. Later, these triggers may remind us of our trauma and cause us to respond as if we are back in the threatening situation, even if no actual danger exists. These responses can be helpful in avoiding dangerous situations but disruptive when they are triggered in a safe situation.
Imagine a fire alarm, an unpleasant stimulus that warns us of danger. In the case of actual fire it can save our lives. However, as anyone who has experienced a “false alarm” can attest, the sound of a fire alarm in the absence of fire is very unpleasant. In the aftermath of trauma, the “false alarms” of the fight, flight, or freeze system can be extremely uncomfortable and upsetting.
Some symptoms of hyperarousal include: hypervigilance (being chronically “on guard”), exaggerated startle response (being “jumpy” when exposed to sudden movements or loud noises), anger/irritability, insomnia, and difficulty with concentration. The good news is that trauma survivors can undergo treatment to help them relearn how to distinguish actual danger from the “false alarms” of trauma triggers.