Somatic Experiencing and feeling numb – By Sergio Ocampo LMFT SEP
Conclusive studies show those who experience early life difficulties suffer both emotional and health related issues into adulthood. Nervous system dysregulation taxes the body and the mind.
Any overwhelming event can traumatize a child. When an experience is too much, the nervous system numbs-up, ceasing to feel the world accurately. It is like a narcotic that dulls, making us feel like we are distant and separate from the flow of life. It is a freeze response; with it also comes emotional numbness.
When we find ourselves vulnerable, hurt, confused and shocked, without support either during or after the event, we often go into freeze. If we are unable to find support and allow our bodies to discharge the shock afterwards, this experience becomes trapped in our bodies. It becomes persistent – programmed into our very nervous system. This can last for the rest of our lives, unless it is directly addressed.
The freeze response is present in all mammals. When an overwhelming event takes place, such as coming close to being attacked by a predator, it is activated. The body secretes endorphins to lessen the pain. There is also a physiological numbness that comes over the body. It blunts the pain of imminent danger, both physical and emotional.
Children, being so vulnerable to the environment, cannot fight back or run away. When something overwhelming happens and escape is impossible, the only option the child’s nervous system sees is to freeze (em.
Freezing allows a child to survive the emotional and physical distraught of overwhelming experiences. The downside is that if the emotional experience in the body is not discharged, it will be internalized, unabated, for the rest of the child’s life. In other words, some part of the child will be “in freeze” showing up as numbness, lack of expressiveness, socialization – a sense of being outside the flow of life.
Ironically, while a person may feel numb, underneath there is a very high amount of nervous system activation. It just can’t be felt. Why? Because when our system is in freeze, or numbed, a strong emotional charge is always present beneath that numbness. It is why a state of freeze persists.
This numbness is very helpful in overcoming the initial difficulty of an event. It cushions us from feeling fully overwhelmed. However, when a freeze state persists, it takes a toll on our experience of life as well as our health.
Somatic Experiencing directly addresses the numbness from early adverse experiences. We work with the body’s nervous system, gently releasing the effects of trauma. As this happens, the mind’s perception of the difficult experiences dissipates. As the physical experience is released, the mind allows the emotional reaction to fade away.
Healing the nervous system is the key to resolving old emotional patterns and self-defense mechanisms. Because they live in the body, it is in the body that healing must happen. This is the foundation of Somatic Experiencing work.
Sergio Ocampo specializes in the use of Somatic Experiencing and EMDR to help his clients resolve past difficult and overwhelming experiences