The body, everyone has it, and it is supposedly supposed to work in a certain way. You have to eat food that fuels it, move so your heart pumps blood and get enough sleep. For someone who has trauma—and a lot of it, like me—the body is in protective mode.
The first signs were that I was so stiff all over and needed massages and chiropractic help. Then came the headaches and dizziness. I was in my late 20s and I had high blood pressure. I went to the doctor who said it can’t be that high since I was not that old. He measured me and it came to 190/80. Usually they would make you use a machine to check your average blood pressure before you were given medicine. I was prescribed medication there and then, and a 1-month sick leave was given. I needed to get it down fast!
Another quirk my body decided for me was that if I even have the slightest stress or cry a lot, I will get sick like a cold for a week. I could tell by the way I am reacting to something if I would get sick or not.
My body has developed a new coping strategy. Now, when it thinks it is overwhelmed, it will “shut down.” I need to get home as soon as possible, as I will be going to sleep and for a very long time. I can sleep up to 15 hours when it is in recovery mode. Yes, this body is able to sleep that long at my age.
The body, a mysterious thing that humans are still learning about. Humans have created medicine to alleviate the symptoms. What we have not found is a way to make the mind let go of the pain it is holding on to.
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