Trauma survivors may experience a variety of symptoms and memories related to their childhood. Trauma reenactment may manifest in many ways depending on the individual until they recognize the patterns they have created. This is a persistent condition. People who have suffered from trauma may experience PTSD or be constantly anxious. It can be frightening or thrilling to have experiences that recreate trauma from the past. This theme is explored in this explanation of Titane, a recent movie delving into the manifestations of PTSD. Survivors might literally “get high” from the drama. This behavior is often triggered by the subconscious. People can go from one life experience into another depending on their trauma. They don’t know why they behave the way that they do. They find themselves in the same situations with the same people all the time. It could be that they are constantly surrounded with similar people to their family of origin, even though the names may change. Or they might get involved in high-risk activities. Some people may not be aware of this and try to suppress it. Some people are aware that they choose unhealthy partners and friends, and get involved in harmful experiences. They are unable to cope and resort to overeating, gambling, shopping, and other activities that stimulate adrenaline and excitement.
Seeking High-Risk Behaviors
Trauma can impact the parasympathetic nervous systems and cause people to be hypervigilant, fight, flight or freeze. Trauma reenactment may perpetuate trauma’s physical effects, which can lead to risky and thrill-seeking behaviors. If someone is prone to kleptomania they may seek out high-risk or stealthy activities due to the high it gives them. A person with childhood sexual abuse trauma might find themselves in a sex- and love-addiction, domestic abuse, or in a pattern of self harm. People might also seek out other trauma reenactments that are similar to those that lead to “adrenaline addiction” or other forms of self-harm. As the adrenaline levels rise, so does the desire to experience more extreme experiences to feel any kind of emotion. It becomes difficult to reduce adrenaline levels in the nervous system. They’ll seek out more dangerous, advanced activities. For this reason, some will resort to drugs. Addiction can also be a result of the need for physical arousal.
Trauma Reenactment is Not Always Bad
The first step in recovery is to recognize the problem. People can heal when they recognize the trauma that caused them to replay certain patterns or experiences. Trauma reenactment can be used to consciously reset the trauma-driven external behavior. People may relive the worst trauma they have experienced and then go back to that scene to heal. Kara, for example, witnessed her friend’s shooting death when she was young. She suppressed her grief with high risk sexual activities such as one-night stands and filling her credit cards with comfort food and purchases. For many years she avoided the crime scene, often driving past and not stopping to express her grief. She was in recovery from sex addictions and spending addictions and was able to go back to the spot where her friend was killed. She was supported by a person and was able to grieve as she thought back to that terrible, tragic moment that led her to self-destruction. The concrete where the shooting took place still had a bloodstain. She was able leave a rose at the site where the body was. Instead of going to a bar to get a drink or a pick-up she went home to let herself cry. It was a significant step towards healthy recovery.
