Trauma did NOT make you stronger.

It made you hyper-vigilant and scared of even calm and joyful experiences.

YOU make yourself stronger through the work of discerning between real and perceived threat.
#911Anniversary 🙏❤️🧠
Neuroception refers to our ability to distinguish whether situations or people are safe or dangerous.

When we’ve experienced trauma, our amygdala grows, and our ability to discern is lost.

As we heal our trauma we Rewire Our Brains and Recalibrate our Neuroception!
When we lose our ability to discern between danger and safety,

EVEN JOYFUL and CALM people, places, and experiences are threatening.

When we ReWire Our Brain during trauma-healing work, we can tell the BUTTERFLY’S BALM versus the SCORPION’S STING.
Relationally, if we are still stuck in our trauma response,

we can initially perceive a calm relationship as threatening.

When we are used to chaos, the calm of a healthy relationship can even be perceived as boring!

Trauma-informed work helps us slowly + steadily discern!
Also, can someone teach me how to make a thread more efficiently! Is there a way to link to the first tweet?!

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Keep Current with Dr. Jen Wolkin | ADHD + Trauma + Anxiety Info

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More from @drjenwolkin

Sep 11
My father worked in the Twin Towers. My mom told him to switch his tie (yes, to match), + he was uncharacteristically late that day. He survived.

The unfolding of that day is indelible in my brain.

The uncertainty, the waiting, still lives in my body.

Trauma does that…
21-years later and I still feel that waiting and not-knowing in my throat.

That’s what trauma does.

It lodges itself in there so that it’s always a somatic reckoning.
I went through a period of incessantly calling my dad (like multiple times a day) for years afterwards to make sure he was okay.

My trauma response was to imagine the worst when he was going to grab a cup of coffee or some milk from the store.
Read 7 tweets
Aug 21
Resting is NOT Quitting.

Resting IS:

Refueling
Restoring
Regrouping
Redirecting
ReWiring
Rest is NOT a reward.

(It’s a neurobiological imperative)

And, does NOT need to be earned.
When you’re burnt out, exhausted, and void of bandwidth

PLEASE give yourself a break from peak performance goals.

Surrender to rest—EVEN in pockets of moments at a time.
Read 6 tweets
Aug 19
Happiness isn’t a choice, but we CAN engage in certain behaviors to “hack” our neurotransmitters.

Our lifestyle can influence our daily DOSE.

D -dopamine
O -oxytocin
S -serotonin
E -endorphins

Read on for ways to Wire for Wellness ⬇️
𝗘𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗽𝗵𝗶𝗻𝘀: helps one deal with stress and reduce feelings of pain.

𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻: stabilizes our mood, creates a sense of calm.

𝗗𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲: creates feelings of pleasure and reward.

𝗢𝘅𝘆𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗻: helps promote trust, empathy, and bonding.
Ways to “Hack Happy” + Wire For Wellness:

Endorphins ➡️exercise, sex, belly laugh, stretch.

Serotonin ➡️get sunlight, exercise, tryptophan in diet.

Dopamine ➡️ set an achievable goal + meet it, smell baking cookies, get sleep.

Oxytocin ➡️ connect, pet a dog, get massage.
Read 4 tweets
Aug 15
Reminder from a neuropsychologist.

When you’re down about the fact that Trauma Changes The Brain

I want you to remember:

SO. DOES. HEALING.
SO. DOES. HEALING.
SO. DOES. HEALING.
I post this every 2 months to create hope.

Repetition Rewires the Brain so imagine reading + sharing + hearing this over + over again.

Healing is arduous, it ebbs/flows, it’s non-linear.

AND, some iteration of healing is possible, even when you doubt it the most.
One aspect of the brain healing from trauma is the amygdala (fear center) shrinking.

When it gets bigger, it’s on higher alert: hyper-vigilance.

It goes off like a siren EVEN when there’s NO fire.

Healing softens the siren, so it works ONLY when it’s really needed.
Read 5 tweets
Jun 13
Reminder from a neuropsychologist.

When you’re down about the fact that Trauma Changes The Brain

I want you to remember:

SO. DOES. HEALING.
SO. DOES. HEALING.
SO. DOES. HEALING.
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain
Repetition ReWires The Brain

What. Are. You. Repeating?
So humbled this took off will respond to all comments asap!
💜🧠🙌

I love and lobe you, XO, Dr. Jen
Read 6 tweets

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