Most people are familiar with visual flashbacks being a part of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I have also written about emotional flashbacks. Another variety of flashbacks that is less well-known is called a body memory.

A body memory is a flashback that a traumatized adopted child feels in his body. A body memory can result from any form of trauma to the body. A good example is the amputee who continues to “feel” his amputated limb. Some people believe that even the cells of the body experience trauma and that body memories are the body’s way of releasing the energy associated with the trauma, just as a flashback is the release of the emotional memory.

If the traumatized adopted child does not know what is happening, experiencing a body memory can be scary. Even those who do understand what is going on will still often feel sick to their stomachs as their bodies “re-live” the trauma.

For example, as a child I was orally raped in front of the Christmas tree by a family “friend.” He did not use a condom. I experienced a body memory of how that experience felt, and it made me feel very ill. It was bad enough to live it the first time – the last thing I wanted to do was experience the feeling again. However, my body needed to release the memory of that event in order for me to heal from it.

My first instinct was to try to force my body to stop feeling this way. However, the only way to make it stop was to allow my body to do what it needed to do. I had to feel it again. I had to express my emotions surrounding that experience – not just the oral rape but also the experience of this happening during a time of year that is supposed to be joyful for children.

Traumatized adopted children whose trauma began before they were verbal are even more likely to experience body memories. Because a very young child does not have language skills to process what is happening during trauma, often the trauma is held in body memories. The healing process for trauma at a very young age often involves releasing lots of body memories.

If your traumatized adopted child experiences a body memory, explain to your child what is going on. Just knowing that this is normal can go a long way toward making the experience more bearable. Also, continue to remind the child that he has already survived the trauma – he can survive the body memory.

Related topic:

What is a Body Memory?

Photo credit: JulieC