This fact sheet explores the ways complex trauma including childhood trauma and abuse can affect a person’s emotions and their ability to manage or regulate them.
People with complex trauma experiences are often triggered and experience changes in their level of arousal.
People can swing from being hyperaroused to being hypoaroused and often find it hard to stay inside their Window of Tolerance – the level of arousal in which people function best.
Some people who freeze as part of their survival response also dissociate.
Dissociation is explained in simple terms to help people affected understand that dissociation can be seen as a defence mechanism to prevent the mind from being overwhelmed.
