Can Trauma Cause Anxiety? Breaking Down the Complex Connection

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Ever wonder why certain memories, places, and even random smells sometimes can send your anxiety into overdrive? It’s not just “all in your head”; trauma and anxiety are deeply connected, often in ways many of us don’t even realize. In fact, the mind and body store trauma, shaping how you feel, even long after a traumatic experience occurred. This keeps our nervous system stuck in high alert mode for. Fortunately, professionals trained in trauma-informed care, such as those who have completed an online MSW program, can help you work through past experiences to rewire the brain and help your nervous system feel safe again.

What Does ‘Trauma’ Mean?

Trauma isn’t just about what happened in the moment; it affects everything from your thoughts, emotions, and even physical health. In fact, it’s the emotional and physiological imprint left behind after a distressing event that is often shapes how you react to stress, relationships, and even everyday situations moving forward.

For some, trauma stems from a single shocking event, like an accident or loss. For others, it builds over time through chronic stress or repeated experiences, such as childhood neglect, toxic relationships, or prolonged exposure to uncertainty. Regardless of its source, trauma can rewire the brain, keeping the nervous system on high alert, often leading to generalized anxiety, panic attacks, or a constant sense of unease.

This is why a key component to managing trauma often involves caring for your mental health, whether it’s by using a fidget ring, holding a worry stone, or practicing mindfulness to help your brain and body feel safe again.

How Can Trauma Lead to Anxiety?

Trauma and anxiety are deeply intertwined, and for many people, anxiety is one of the most lasting effects of past trauma. When you experience something overwhelming, whether a single traumatic event or ongoing stress, your brain and body shift into survival mode. This “fight, flight, or freeze” response is designed to protect you, but when trauma is unresolved, your nervous system can get stuck in high alert mode, making anxiety a constant companion.

Here’s how trauma fuels anxiety:

1. Your Body Feels Stuck in Overdrive

Trauma-related anxiety isn’t just mental; it’s physical too. Tension, rapid heartbeat, stomach issues, and sleep issues are all common because your body is constantly preparing for a threat that no longer exists.

2. Your Brain Stays on High Alert

After trauma, the amygdala, the part of your brain that detects threats, becomes overactive. This makes you more sensitive to stress, even when there’s no real danger. Everyday situations, like a crowded space or a sudden noise, can trigger an anxiety response as if you’re still in harm’s way.

3. Your Nervous System Struggles to Regulate

Trauma disrupts your body’s ability to switch between “calm” and “alert” modes. This is why people with trauma often experience generalized anxiety, panic attacks, or a persistent sense of unease.

4. Triggers Reignite Past Fear

Your brain links certain sounds, smells, or situations to past trauma. Without warning, something as simple as a song or a specific scent can activate old fear responses, causing sudden waves of anxiety.

5. Avoidance Becomes a Coping Mechanism

To prevent anxious feelings, many people start avoiding places, people, or situations that remind them of trauma. While this might provide temporary relief, it often reinforces anxiety in the long run.

Signs You May Have Trauma-Related Anxiety

Anxiety can have many causes, but if your worries feel deeply rooted, unpredictable, or tied to past experiences, trauma may be playing a role. Unlike general anxiety, trauma-related anxiety often comes with intense emotional and physical reactions, even when there’s no immediate danger. If you are constantly feeling on edge, struggling to relax or calm your racing thoughts, or are experiencing sudden waves of panic, your anxiety could be connected to unresolved trauma.

Here are common signs that trauma is fueling your anxiety:

Emotional & Mental Symptoms

• Overanalyzing situations and expecting the worst – Your brain constantly scans for danger, even in safe situations.
• Difficulty trusting others – Fear of getting hurt or betrayed makes it hard to form close connections.
• Irritability or emotional outbursts – Small stressors trigger big reactions because your nervous system is already overwhelmed.
• Avoidance of certain places, people, or situations – Trauma teaches your brain to steer clear of anything that feels remotely similar to past pain.
• Nightmares or intrusive thoughts – Disturbing memories, flashbacks, or sudden feelings of panic appear out of nowhere.
• Dissociation or feeling “disconnected” from reality – You may space out, feel numb, or struggle to focus when anxiety takes over.

Physical Symptoms

• Unexplained muscle tension and body aches – Especially in the shoulders, neck, and jaw, as if your body is always bracing for impact.
• Digestive issues and nausea – Anxiety and gut health are closely linked, and trauma can trigger stomach discomfort.
• Racing heart and shortness of breath – Your body reacts as if you’re in immediate danger, even if you’re just sitting at home.
• Sleep problems (insomnia, restless sleep, vivid dreams) – Your mind has trouble winding down, keeping you in a hyper-alert state.
• Chronic fatigue and exhaustion – Your nervous system is constantly in fight-or-flight mode, leaving you drained.

If any of these sound familiar, coping tools, such as fidget rings, worry stones, and other therapeutic self-care items from our mental health and wellness shop can help you reestablish a sense of calm and safety.

How Trauma Shows Up in the Body

Trauma isn’t just something you remember; your body holds onto too. When we go through a distressing experience, our brain stores the memory while also imprinting the emotions and physical sensations that came with it. That’s why trauma-related anxiety often comes with unexplained aches, tension, digestive issues, and fatigue even long after the traumatic event has passed.

Here’s how trauma manifests physically:

• Muscle Tension & Chronic Pain – If you constantly have tight shoulders, jaw clenching, or unexplained body aches, it may be your nervous system holding onto stress.
• Shallow Breathing & Chest Tightness – Anxiety can make you feel like you can’t take a full breath, creating a feeling of breathlessness.
• Digestive Issues – The gut and brain are directly connected, so trauma often leads to nausea, stomach pain, bloating, or IBS-like symptoms.
• Fatigue & Weakness – Even when you get enough sleep, your body may feel drained because it’s stuck in a high-alert state.
• Dizziness & Lightheadedness – A dysregulated nervous system can cause dizziness, sudden drops in energy, and feeling faint during high-stress moments.

How to Release Trauma from the Body

Since trauma is stored physically and emotionally, healing often involves more than just changing your thoughts, as you need to establish a safe connection with your mind and body. Grounding techniques, somatic stretches and fidget rings can be great for this to help regulate the nervous system.

• Fidget rings and worry stones can help engage your sense of touch and provide a tactile way to stay present.
• Breathwork exercises help activate the parasympathetic nervous system, signaling to your body that it’s safe. (Try your first month on us!)
• Gentle movement, like yoga or stretching, can help release stored tension.
• Sensory items, such as weighted blankets or spinner rings, can offer a sense of physical security and calm.

Releasing trauma and anxiety from the body takes time, but incorporating small, soothing steps into your daily routine will help regulate your anxiety and create a greater sense of ease.

Breaking the Cycle of Trauma and Anxiety

While trauma can leave a lasting impact on your physical, emotional and mental health, healing is possible. Simple tools like fidget rings, worry stones, deep breathing, and mindfulness combined with professional therapy will help you regain a sense of safety and you retrain your brain to recognize that the danger is over.