The Impact of Stress.

I am sure you have heard that stress can affect the body in many ways. However, during trauma, you may experience the onset of several things all at once.

Hair loss was a big one for me. It wasn't a typical hair loss. It wasn't even comparable to the postpartum hair loss I experienced with the birth of my kids. It was a constant, daily, increasing loss of hands full, brushes full, and the floor covered with… my hair. The shower drain was constantly clogged. I had long, thick hair that fell down my back, which I eventually had to cut above my shoulders to mask how much it was thinning. 

Eyesight change was one that I didn't expect. Trauma on our bodies includes our brain. When the brain is processing severe life changes, our eyes can be impacted too. I found that within just a few months I was straining to see with my glasses and would need to remove my glasses to see up close. Turns out my near-sightedness changed two steps.

Dry skin is often a sign that we aren't getting enough water, there is a change of season and/or (of course) stress. Even when I knew I was consuming plenty of water, in the middle of a hot humid summer, I found that my skin was not absorbing oils and lotions. 

Loss of appetite is another common stress reaction. I could not eat for fear I would be sick. I didn't have an appetite at all. I had no desire for food, even though we had loving and gracious people delivering meals to us for three months. The reverse is an extreme desire to eat, not from hunger but a desire for mental pleasure. It fills the void... temporarily.

Loss of sleep is a consistent stressor for trauma victims. Over-the-counter aids,  prescription meds from a doctor, or nutraceuticals can allow our brain to rest. My "what if", "how do I", "why", "I wish I could talk about", and "I'm so overwhelmed", lists would commandeer my night schedule and I found myself waking every thirty minutes until I sought help.

Photo by Tifney L Fields, MA

Brain fog is something that occurs immediately after trauma. It is your brain's way of trying to process the impact of the traumatic event and causing your short-term memory to fluctuate. It becomes difficult to remember conversations, steps, directions, dates, phone numbers; everything from the simplest everyday activities to the obvious complex ones like buying a home.

Rest assured that these things are common and curable. Check in with a family physician during this time to make sure that you are not ignoring your health. No matter how sad you are, you still need to take care of yourself. Good sleep, a good diet, plenty of water, and a bit of light exercise can help you naturally correct many of these common side effects of trauma stress.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20  “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So, glorify God in your body.”