Physical Exercise as part of Trauma Recovery

In the aftermath of trauma or other painful life experiences, many different pieces need to come together to assist with achieving a comprehensive recovery. For many, this involves various therapies, informal social support from loved ones, and other kinds of wellness activities. One of the wellness activities that seems to have significant benefits for those recovering from trauma and other painful life experiences is physical exercise. We can hypothesize about various reasons why exercise seems to have such a meaningful, positive effect. One part of why exercise may be especially helpful to those who have experienced trauma may concern the mood-boosting effects of cardio-vascular activity. Those who have experienced trauma often also experience symptoms of depression and anxiety; symptoms which seem to be particularly helped by exercise. That said, these mood-boosting effects do not seem to capture the "whole picture" in terms of an explanation around why exercise can be so helpful to those recovering from trauma.

One thing I've noticed over the years is that exercise can help to restore a sense of power and agency to individuals who have experienced trauma. Often traumatic experiences can leave people feeling out of control and helpless. Physical exercise and improving one's physical fitness can provide a visceral sense that one can indeed have a sense of power in one's body. Feeling the body's strength and endurance improve over time and experiencing the body's ability to succeed in facing difficult physical challenges, can enliven the individual and restore a feeling of power, as well as, reduce feelings of helplessness in the body. As with most other things, moderation is key. It could certainly be problematic to over-rely on exercise. So, I would emphasize that physical exercise should only be one piece of the recovery puzzle.

Trauma and painful life experiences can also sometimes lead people to experience symptoms of dissociation. These symptoms can include periods of "spacing out" and seeming to lose time, feeling as though you are outside your body/observing yourself, feeling as though people and things in the environment seems unreal, etc. Some experiences of dissociation are fairly normative and can be experienced by most people who have not experienced a trauma or had psychological difficulties, however, more frequent and severe symptoms of dissociation can be very problematic and disruptive to a person's life. For individuals recovering from trauma who are also experiencing symptoms of dissociation, exercise may be an especially helpful supplement to psychotherapy. Physical activity can help to ground our consciousness and focus our attention on the body. Creating sensation in the body by swimming laps, doing breathing exercises, going for a run, riding your bike, or doing yoga can provide much assistance with grounding. Mood-boosting, restoring a sense of power and agency, and helping individuals feel grounded in their bodies in the present moment are the three primary reasons why exercise seems to hold such potential for those recovering from trauma. If you are recovering from trauma or another painful life event you may want to consider adding a physical exercise regimen into your routine in support of your recovery. Consider the following:

*First and foremost: consult your medical doctor prior to starting any exercise regimen.

*Reflect on what physical activities may have brought you joy in the past and consider re-starting a new version of an old routine.

*Research new exercise opportunities- check out the local resources for hiking, swimming, running, or biking. Exercising outdoors in nature seems to hold additional benefits above and beyond indoor workouts.

*Set a goal and gently challenge yourself- consider trying a warrior dash, short distance triathlon or duathlon, look for local charity/fundraising athletic events. Athletic events that have a social and/or fundraising component may feel especially rewarding because of the additional elements of socialization and feeling as though one is making a positive contribution to a worthy cause.