Blog About Healing and Recovery after Child Sexual Abuse

Is Your Brain Sabotaging You?

8/14/2016

The brain is an incredible organ. But sometimes it can block your healing. That’s because what helps us survive chronic abuse and trauma is not what heals us.

Here’s what I mean. Your brain is hardwired to protect you. The part of the brain that takes over when you’re scared is the part that wants to keep you safe. At the same time, the parts of the brain you use the most are the ones you tend to rely on.

In the case of chronic abuse and trauma, the safety response is the part of the brain we use the most. It becomes our “default” setting. Unfortunately, the part of the brain that keeps you safe from abuse (survival mode) is not the part of the brain that helps you overcome the effects of trauma and abuse (healing mode).

You can see where I’m going with this, right?

You want to change. You want to heal. You’re more than ready. But your brain isn’t. It’s been in survival mode for years, and now it’s stuck.

What can you do? First, gather as much information as you can about healing and the healing journey. Next, put a strong support system in place.

Now every time you move out of your comfort zone on your healing journey, you’ll be well-prepared for the resistance you’re sure to encounter from your brain. It’ll freak every time. Count on it. Your brain will sound the alarm and try to convince you things aren’t that bad (yes, they are!), you don’t need to heal (yes, you do!), and you’re doing fine (no, you’re not!).

Information is vital during this phase. So is a strong support network. You need human validation. You need someone to tell you what to expect and how to break free when your brain panics and holds you hostage with old, toxic coping patterns.

Don’t give up on yourself, okay? Don’t allow your brain to talk you into backtracking or sabotaging your progress. Keep moving forward. Keep gathering information. Keep reaching out for support. It’s the only way to heal.

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Do you feel stuck because your brain is sabotaging your healing? Don’t worry. I can help you move forward again. Just email svava@educate4change.com to reserve a 1 hr. coaching session with me. My calendar is filling up fast, so don’t wait. Let me help you heal your life. Reserve your spot NOW!

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1 Comment

Kristina

8/19/2016 06:11:39 am

Hi Svava ! Thank you very much for this post. It is mindblowing to hear that the brain, what helped us to survive, will not help to heal.
I must admit that I am not familiar with how the surviver brain works ( I did not come yet to this part of education yet, in certain way it scares me that there is something wrong with my brain), but I focus on thinking -the safety. Emotions, body are still foreign countries for me.
I have read once that the healing does not happen in the rationality/in mind. It would be a very important piece of knowledge -that perhaps any non-emotional, non-body therapy could only help a little bit, but not lead to healing (or even make things worse ).
The TRE or somatic experiencing seem also not to be about brain-thinking. Maybe I am circulating in my brain again and again in the survival modes, trying to think it through, think my safety and healing through, but instead, I am in the survival mode again -the default setting).
I had been crushed by the resistance last week, when I finally expressed my will to receive the money from a heritage back (which was taken away from me). I had been thinking about expressing it for 6 months very intensively, and when I had the opportunity and was asked of a present, I pulled it out. I had some knowledge that it is too soon for me, what if I am not ready...
But, it did. It would have been a torture not to tell the truth.
I became such anxiety attacks after it for weeks, until I fell acute sick, some wounds even showed on my hands. I guess for myself that these anxiety attacks have to do with dying/neglect experience in childhood. Moreover, I don´t regret it, because if I had not asked, I would have the anger attacks every second day (and I would have listened to my brain wanting to keep me safe another month, another month, year after year..."don´t get the parent angry, it has never been a good idea, what will I do, the money will not be enough to buy me a solid property anyway, how will I have access to it when with sick body, I need the parent to care for me, not creating unnecessary anger". It sound like thoughs, but the anxiety underneath is probably so huge, that my body does not make it.
However, it would be much better to expect these reactions.
Svava, could you please write some article about the brain -function in PTSD ? Much love.

Is Your Brain Sabotaging You?

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