Trauma and Play

When we perceive a threat, then our survival instincts and drives kick in. These strategies are fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and flag. These are drives that get activated before conscious thought. When there is a history of chronic traumatization and danger, this system might remain on and hyper-activated.

When this system is activated, then it tends to shut down the drives of play, curiosity and connection. Thus, if you were chronically traumatized or live in conditions of chronic stress and danger, these life drives are likely to be less active for you.

Therefore, it might be difficult to allow yourself the freedom to play, to be silly, to explore your environment. That doesn’t mean it’s impossible, it simply means it is important to be compassionate with yourself about why this does not come naturally to you and work on reintegrating these ways of being in the world, into your world.