The podcast explores the gap in understanding and addressing childhood trauma within the medical field. It discusses the impact of trauma on doctors' ability to treat patients and the link between adverse childhood experiences and disease. The relationship between painkillers and emotional pain is explored, highlighting how they address symptoms rather than the root cause. The blind spot in medical treatment of trauma is discussed, including the tendency to blame the patient when therapy fails. The importance of addressing the root cause of trauma is emphasized.
Medical doctors lack training in trauma, hindering their ability to effectively treat patients with childhood trauma.
Childhood trauma leads to long-term physical and emotional illness that can be better addressed by recognizing and treating the underlying trauma.
Deep dives
The Limitations of Medical Doctors in Treating Trauma
Medical doctors lack training and understanding of trauma, which prevents them from effectively treating patients who have experienced childhood trauma. Doctors typically adhere to a pharmaceutical-based approach to treatment, focusing on medications rather than addressing the emotional and nervous system dysregulation caused by trauma. Patients with unresolved childhood wounding often present with chronic pain or addiction issues, which are misunderstood and not properly addressed by traditional medical interventions. The medical profession's lack of trauma awareness, poor empathy due to high stress levels, and focus on symptomatic relief rather than addressing root causes contribute to frustration and burnout among doctors.
The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Physical and Mental Health
Childhood trauma leads to long-term physical and emotional illness, such as fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and mental health conditions. The autonomic nervous system, responsible for the body's fight-or-flight and rest-and-digest responses, becomes dysregulated due to trauma. This dysregulation causes co-activation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, resulting in pain, muscle tension, and other physical symptoms that medical tests may not detect. Treating the symptoms with medication or surgery fails to address the underlying trauma, which manifests as mental and physical ailments. The prevalence of trauma-related illnesses calls for a shift in the medical profession's understanding and approach.
The Need for a Trauma-Informed Approach in Medicine
Medical doctors should recognize the role of childhood trauma in shaping individuals' physical and mental health. Understanding trauma's effects, doctors can refer patients to practitioners who specialize in somatic therapy, internal family systems therapy, or psychedelic therapy as a last resort. By acknowledging trauma as the root cause rather than solely focusing on symptoms, doctors can better serve their patients and contribute to their healing. While pharmaceutical treatments can provide temporary relief, they only address symptoms and fail to address the underlying childhood wounds. A trauma-informed approach within the medical field could lead to more comprehensive and effective care for patients with trauma-related health issues.
In the realm of medicine, the focus on emotional trauma has often been overlooked in the training of doctors.
Yet, the impact of unaddressed childhood emotional trauma on adult emotional and physical well-being cannot be underestimated.
Within the medical field, there exists a crucial gap in comprehending and effectively addressing childhood trauma, posing a notable challenge to the holistic treatment of emotional and physical ailments.
In this podcast episode I talk about the intersection of medicine and emotional healing, shedding light on the transformative potential that lies in bridging this gap with empathy and expertise.
Thank you for listening and you can find me on IG: @theanxietymd if you have any questions.
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