Human reaction to traumatic experiences are often out of our control

I am writing in response to Blaine Blackstone’s column from September 27. Specifically, I would like to address misunderstandings perpetuated in Mr. Blackstone’s column around how traumatic experiences are stored and recalled.

Mr. Blackstone refers to Dr. Christine Blasey Ford’s telling of her story as not being “rational” because of her inability to recall exact dates and timelines related to the traumatic experience she had, and the response that she had immediately following the incident. At the same time, she could recall details of the room and the encounter. This is not unique to her and has to do with how traumatic experiences are stored in our brain and body.

When humans are traumatized by an experience, we react in an automatic way, with one goal: to survive the traumatic experience. These reactions are often not logical, are different for each person, and are frankly out of our control. Once the experience is over, the sensory details of that experience (visual surrounding, smells, sounds, touches) are encapsulated in the way our body and brain remember the experience.

The difference between a memory of trauma and a run-of-the mill memory is that “normal” memories become integrated into our life experience: they become part of our timeline, we make meaning out of what we learn from the experience, and basically we change the memory over time through this process. Experiences we are traumatized by are not integrated into our life experience and the “memory” is retained with all of the sensory details intact.

Often the traumatic memory is re-experienced in invasive ways that impair our ability to function in different areas of our lives (commonly referred to as a flashback). It is very common for survivors (especially when the trauma occurred in childhood or adolescence) to be unable to recall specific dates or time relative to the trauma. For anyone who is interested in learning more about how trauma works in our mind and body, I direct you to the excellent book The Body Keeps Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk.

When we dismiss a trauma survivor’s experience, call them irrational, or blame them for what happened to them, not only are we wrong, but we are re-traumatizing them and telling them that their experiences don’t matter. These societal responses may reinforce distorted internal narratives, which can prevent survivors from seeking help and healing. It takes an immense amount of courage and vulnerability to share traumatic experiences, and each person who takes that step is deserving of our respect, care and support. This is not a small issue; SAMHSA research indicates that 61% of all men and 51% of all women have experienced at least 1 traumatic event in their lifetime. Sexual violence and abuse is very prevalent in our society, and the stigma around it often results in shame and silence. The impacts of trauma on individuals, families and communities are staggering and can endure across generations. So what can we as individuals do to support one another in the face of this? We can show kindness and be curious, refrain from jumping to conclusions or making judgments on others actions in response to experiences we don’t understand. We can listen more and allow one another to have different ways of viewing the world, while striving to make the world a safer and more comfortable place for all of us.

Lastly, to every survivor out there: You matter, what happened to you matters, and you are not alone.

Hayley Allen-Blakney,

Thompson Falls