A collection of nonspecific symptoms, such as body aches, fatigue, nervousness, sleep disturbances and digestive problems. Adrenal glands produce a variety of hormones that are essential to life.

Adrenal fatigue or hypoadrenia is a term to suggest that the adrenal glands are exhausted and unable to produce adequate quantities of hormones, primarily cortisol, due to chronic stress or infections.

Adrenal Fatigue is currently unrecognized by the AMA and broader medical community.

Lauren is going to change that! The diagnosis is real and so is recovery with the proper resources and HOW-ARE U HEALING™ HABITS!

Identified by Weischeider (1981) with respect to alcoholic families. The use of these terms has been widened to include other types of dysfunctional family systems including emotionally or psychologically disturbed (e.g., Narcissistic Personality Disordered or Bi-Polar Disorder) 

• It’s not easy to determine who has been assigned what role in a dysfunctional family, if only as roles do change if only by necessity of someone leaving their assigned role by external factors, forcing a reallocation of the roles

• There may not be ‘enough’ individuals to assign a single role to, and thus multiple roles are bestowed on the individual. Never at the same moment though. Each role has to be fulfilled ‘one-dimensionally’, resulting in personal internal stress as it’s often far from clear which role the other family members demand at any given time

The amygdala, a brain region crucial for processing emotions, particularly fear and anxiety, can be significantly impacted by trauma. Traumatic events can lead to structural and functional changes in the amygdala, making it more sensitive to perceived threats and increasing the likelihood of a heightened stress response. This can manifest as hypervigilance, difficulty regulating emotions, and other symptoms associated with PTSD. 

1. Hyperactivity and Heightened Threat Detection:

• Traumatic experiences can lead to an overactive amygdala, making it more responsive to threats, even if they are not present. 

• The amygdala's role is to quickly assess situations and trigger a fight-or-flight response. In the context of trauma, this can result in the amygdala misinterpreting harmless situations as dangerous, leading to anxiety and fear. 

2. Structural Changes: 

• Research suggests that the amygdala can physically change in size and shape after trauma, with some studies indicating an increase in volume.

• These structural alterations can contribute to the amygdala's heightened sensitivity to threats.

3. PTSD and Related Symptoms:

• The amygdala's role in fear processing makes it a central component of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). 

• PTSD symptoms like hypervigilance, difficulty regulating emotions, and flashbacks are often linked to the dysregulation of the amygdala. 

The autonomic nervous system, which is part of the central nervous system, is the body’s unconscious control center.

It consists of two interconnected branches: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, which regulate homeostasis in regard to psychological and physiological states. Both work together to maintain balance within the body.

It’s not about the maximum a human can contain or produce, but rather understanding the maximum which can vary by human by day/week/hour/month/year etc and how to live within those bounds by allowing your mind/body to inform your decisions

Perpetual state of heightened alertness and awareness that can result from past trauma. Causes physical, behavioral and emotional symptoms 

Significant negative impact on quality of life, leading to memory impairment, difficulty regulating emotions, trouble maintaining relationships, intense physical ailments and struggles carrying out day-to-day tasks.

The exposure to multiple,

often interrelated forms of traumatic experiences, interpersonal in nature, over an extended period of time
AND the difficulties that arise as a result of adapting to and/or     surviving these events

Complex Trauma is generally associated with childhood but can also happen in adulthood

A severe form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder/Response (PTSD/PTSR) that develops after prolonged or repeated exposure to traumatic events, typically during childhood or early adulthood. 

CPTSD is an unrecognized by the DSMV mental health condition that requires specialized treatment, such as therapy and medication, to manage symptoms and improve quality of life.

While CPTSD is often associated with chronic trauma in childhood, adults who experience chronic trauma can also develop the condition.

The severity and duration of the trauma can influence the likelihood of developing the condition

Characteristics of CPTSD:

• Multiple traumatic events: Exposure to numerous, interconnected, and often interpersonal traumas (e.g., abuse, neglect, violence) 

• Persistent symptoms: Symptoms of PTSD, such as flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance, and hyperarousal, that are more severe and enduring 

• Emotional dysregulation: Difficulty controlling emotions, leading to intense anger, shame, guilt, and depression 

• Dissociation: Feeling disconnected from oneself, others, or reality 

• Altered self-perception: Distorted sense of identity, worthlessness, and hopelessness 

• Interpersonal difficulties: Challenges in forming and maintaining healthy relationships due to distrust, fear, and avoidance 

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Essentially different in kind; not allowing comparison (i.e. disparate somatic responses to trauma)

LFE’s ‘Are You F*cking Kidding Me/Are You F*cking Serious’ Moment

Mental escape when physical escape is not possible, or too emotionally overwhelmed to cope

Out of body experience – as if a person is above or behind their body. 

‘This isn't happening to me’

ALL THE GENERATIONAL UNPROCESSED COMPLEX TRAUMA!

The convergence of multiple dysfunction, chaos, heartbreak and shame for any given time period, sometimes in perpetuity…GO HEAL YOURSELF!

A SERIES OF UNFORTUNATE EVENTS — THE LAUREN FRIEDMAN EXPERIENCE would have been a working title if Lemony Snicket didn’t leverage it first

Characterized by persistently negative, unhealthy, or abusive interactions that impair members’ well-being, often stemming from parental challenges like addiction or mental health issues. Dysfunctional family examples include constant conflict, addiction, abuse, mental disorders, neglect, abandonment and more

• Relationships and interactions among members are persistently negative, unhealthy, or abusive, leading to a toxic environment that impairs the emotional, psychological, and physical well-being of its members 

• Conflict, misconduct, abuse, or neglect are typical dysfunctional family dynamics due to one or both parents. These parents cannot fulfill their family responsibilities due to inconsistent, unresponsive, or overly critical parenting or because of challenges such as addiction, mental health issues, or chronic physical illness.​

A psychological condition that describes how adults who grew up in dysfunctional households (which can include addiction, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, abandonment, witnessing violence, etc.) can carry the same emotional baggage into their adult lives

• Children who grow up in these types of environments may not receive the emotional support and guidance they need to develop healthy coping mechanisms and self-esteem. This can lead to a pattern of negative behaviors that carry into adulthood, and never learning how-to-human

A dysregulated nervous system refers to a state of imbalance or dysfunction within the body’s central control network or central nervous system. This intricate system, which includes the brain, spinal cord, and a vast array of sensory and motor nerves, acts as the command center for all bodily functions.

When working optimally, the nervous system maintains a delicate balance, allowing us to respond appropriately to our environment and maintain overall health and well-being.

However, when the nervous system becomes dysregulated, it can lead to many symptoms and challenges that affect every aspect of a human’s quality of life.

• Long after a traumatic event has passed, a person’s nervous system can be reactivated whenever they perceive danger.

• A dysregulated nervous system can manifest as appearing shut down, lethargic, or “out of it” as part of the "freeze" or "fawn" trauma responses.

• There is a longstanding body of research that correlates higher Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) scores with an increased risk of a dysregulated nervous system.

• Difficulty relaxing and hypervigilance are correlated with a dysregulated nervous system and "fight" or "flight" trauma responses

the practice of living in your body, which involves actively paying attention to and being present with your physical sensations, emotions, and inner experience

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy

A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (not always eye movements Lauren uses tappers), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotional charge associated with the trauma memories.

Epigenetics studies how behaviors and environment, like diet or stress, can change how genes function without altering the DNA sequence itself, influencing whether genes are turned on or off through chemical modifications to DNA and associated proteins. These potentially reversible changes, called epigenetic marks, are crucial for normal cell function but can also contribute to diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. Epigenetic mechanisms are involved in normal development, can be influenced by external factors, and can even be passed down through generations, offering new avenues for disease prevention and treatment

Epigenetics and Trauma 

Epigenetics is the study of how environmental factors can influence gene expression without changing the underlying DNA sequence. Trauma, a significant and distressing event, can induce epigenetic changes that have lasting effects on an individual's health and well-being. 

Mechanisms of Epigenetic Trauma 

Trauma can trigger a cascade of physiological and biochemical responses, including: 

• Increased stress hormone production:

  Cortisol and other stress hormones can alter the structure of DNA and make certain genes more or less likely to be expressed. 

• DNA methylation:

  This process involves adding chemical tags (methyl groups) to DNA, which can silence gene expression. 

• Histone modifications:

  Histones are proteins that DNA wraps around. Changes in histone structure can make DNA more or less accessible to transcription factors, thus regulating gene expression. 

Intergenerational Effects 

Epigenetic changes induced by trauma can be passed down from parents to their children. This is known as intergenerational trauma. Studies have shown that individuals whose parents or grandparents experienced traumatic events are more likely to: 

• Develop mental health disorders, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Have an altered immune response

• Experience metabolic problems

• Have an increased risk of chronic diseases

Implications for Health and Treatment 

Epigenetic changes induced by trauma can have significant implications for an individual's health and well-being. Understanding these changes can help us: 

• Identify individuals at risk for developing trauma-related disorders

• Develop more effective treatments for trauma

• Prevent intergenerational transmission of trauma

Research and Future Directions 

Research on epigenetics and trauma is ongoing. Scientists are working to: 

• Identify specific epigenetic changes associated with trauma

• Understand how these changes affect gene expression and behavior

• Develop interventions that can reverse or mitigate the effects of epigenetic trauma

Conclusion 

Epigenetics and trauma are closely related. Trauma can induce epigenetic changes that have lasting effects on an individual's health and well-being, both in the present and across generations. Understanding these changes is crucial for developing effective treatments and preventing the intergenerational transmission of trauma. 

We all have a mental representation of what a family tree looks like. It’s a simple system of branches that include ourselves at the bottom, our caregivers on the limb above, our grandparents, great-grandparents, and so on, tendrilling up to the top of the tree. But what if this description or visual is too limited? What if, instead of loosely connecting branches, our family systems are intricate tapestries or threads that weave and connect in ways we can’t imagine?

The metaphor of a tapestry is important when it comes to describing emotionally immature parents. We are not isolated from the intergenerational effects (also referred to as transgenerational trauma) of how our caregivers and even grandparents were raised–potentially even continuing back as far as our bloodline goes. Patterns of behavior are passed down from one generation to the next, often without us even realizing it, so therefore, these patterns are still in place today.

An example of such a pervasive pattern of behavior is that of emotionally immature parents (EIP), where certain caregivers don’t recognize their difficulties with emotion regulation and the impact these difficulties have on their children.

Signs of Emotionally Immature Parents

The signs of emotionally immature parents can vary depending on the type and severity of behavior. However the following are some general symptoms to consider.

1. They lack empathy or vulnerability around you

Even though emotionally immature parents are typically emotionally reactive during arguments or when their needs aren’t met, they don’t show their underlying feelings for fear of being vulnerable or exposed. As an adult, you may still find that your problems are met by your caregivers with dismissal, minimizing, or withdrawal.

2. Your parent or parents showed extremes of emotion

Although emotionally immature parents dislike being vulnerable, they still demonstrate intense emotions, but these are usually explosions of anger or frustration. For example, perhaps as a child, they flew into a fury if you didn’t get the grades they expected of you, or you didn’t give them the attention they wanted. This isn’t an expression of how they actually feel. Instead, it’s an emotional release which is more a symptom of an underlying resistance to their true feelings.

3. You always came second to their needs

Emotionally immature parents are highly preoccupied with having their own needs met. This means that your needs were secondary to theirs. They may want blind allegiance to their expectations and rules, which can create a deep-rooted sense of insecurity, vulnerability, and overwhelm in a child.

4. You were or are emotionally lonely

Emotionally immature parents may meet their childrens’ physical needs, such as providing food, shelter, and safety. However, in general, they lack the ability to be emotionally present; they may not be warm, nurturing, or open with emotions. This can leave a child feeling on their own with their feelings, as though discussing them will be met with rejection or discomfort.

5. You feel or felt manipulated or trapped

As emotionally immature parents are primarily concerned with their own needs, you may find that they use, or used, strategies such as guilting and shaming to get their way. Although these strategies are manipulative, they are actually the caregivers’ survival instincts kicking in as their needs were likely left unmet by their own caregivers.

6. Conversations are one-sided

Emotionally immature parents’ concern for their own needs and lack of empathy for those of others can make interactions with them feel as if they’re all about them. They may downplay your side of the conversation, reroute the topic back to themselves, or act dismissive towards what you tell them. Furthermore, conversations with them may feel frustrating as emotionally immature parents can be egocentric and ruminative, meaning they talk about their issues repetitively.

7. You’re more aware of their issues than they are

Because emotionally immature parents talk a great deal about their problems but refuse to acknowledge their true emotions, their children often recognize their caregivers’ issues more than their caregivers do.

8. They’re “emotionally contagious”

Emotional contagion is when emotionally immature parents express themselves consistently through non-verbal actions or emotional outbursts–they want their loved ones to intuit what they want without specifically expressing it. This leads to their children becoming absorbed or enmeshed in their caregivers’ emotions and psyche. Children of emotionally immature parents therefore feel as though they have no boundaries against their caregivers’ feelings and become drawn into their emotions.

9. You lack emotional autonomy

As your boundaries were repeatedly violated and because emotionally immature parents see their children as extensions of themselves, you may lack a sense of individuality and the right to feel your own feelings. If you express feelings or thoughts around your desires, your caregivers may express judgment or disapproval if these thoughts and desires don’t align with theirs.

As we mentioned earlier, there are 4 types of emotionally immature parents, and each one has distinct characteristics that can impact children in different ways. Let’s go through each type in turn before we discuss the effects of each on adult children of emotionally immature parents.

Fascia, also known as connective tissue, is a fibrous web that extends into every structure and system of your body. There are many different types of fascia including superficial layers just under your skin and deeper layers that wrap around your bones and muscles. Fascia provides a nourishing and lubricating layer around your lungs which intertwines with your pericardium—the layer of fascia around your heart. You’ll also find connective tissue around all of your digestive organs. One of the key functions of healthy fascia is that it allows the surrounding tissues to slide and glide across each other. 

Fascia is also found in each of your endocrine glands; so much so that the founder of Integral Anatomy, Dr. Gil Hedley, refers to fascia as a whole body endocrine organ. For example, fascia plays a key role in transmitting hormones (e.g. adrenaline, estrogen, insulin, thyroid hormones, oxytocin) and neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin, dopamine, GABA, acetylcholine) throughout your body. Thus we see that fascia is also deeply intertwined with the nervous system. Furthermore, fascia plays a key role in the immune system. 

Lack of movement, emotional stress, physical injury and historical trauma can lead to the stickiness or hardening of fascia. There is a small amount of this hardening of the fascia that occurs each night when we sleep. Dr. Hedley refers to this as the “fuzz” that accumulates between the layers of fascia (if you are comfortable with viewing a cadaver, you can see his “fuzz speech” here). Overtime, this fuzz can build up and is associated with vicious cycles of chronic pain, systemic inflammation, histamine intolerance, fibromyalgia, and chronic fatigue syndrome (myalgic encephalomyelitis). The good news is that mindful movement, deep breathing, and massage all help to melt the fuzz and rehydrate your fascia

FASCIA AND THE VAGUS NERVE

The vagus nerve plays a key role in communicating changes in fascia to your brain. You can think of the vagus nerve as a bi-directional information highway between brain and body that helps regulate your autonomic nervous system. Stressful events engage your sympathetic nervous system through the fight or flight response. The sympathetic nervous system is like a gas pedal which speeds you up and the vagus nerve provides a “vagal brake” which slows you down. When fully engaged, the vagus nerve allows you to let go of fight or flight for the purpose of resting, digesting, and bonding with others during times of safety. However, in situations that are traumatic or life threatening, this vagal brake can kick in an abrupt manner bringing you to a hard stop. This is referred to as vasovagal syncope which can lead to nausea, dizziness, or fainting.

The vagus nerve also plays a key role in your digestive system health as it innervates (extends into) the stomach, spleen, liver, intestines, and colon as part of the gut-brain axis. The gut has been called our second or “enteric” brain, in part because the gut is capable of producing the same neurotransmitters found in the brain. These neurochemicals are communicated between our digestive system and brainstem via the vagus nerve. However, the fascia plays a key role in the quality of the conversation.

You can think of fascia as the largest sensory organ in your body as it houses 250 million nerve endings. What is fascinating is that there are 3 times as many sensory neurons than motor neurons; thus fascia has a primary role of communicating information about what’s happening in your body to your brain. The tissues of the fascia are meant to expand and contract. However, when we have experienced a physical injury or emotional trauma we tend to go into shock which restricts movement to ensure our survival. Simply put, we either move into either freeze (tonic immobility) or faint (collapsed immobility) responses. If this trauma response doesn’t’ resolve we can feel stuck in having too much tone in the body or too little. We lose that capacity to rhythmically expand and contract. Unresolved trauma has consequences on our emotional and physical health. Not only can the fascial fuzz build up; but, without movement we tend to lose our connection to our bodily sensations. We are more likely to feel disconnected or even dissociated. So, physical and emotional healing involves restoring a relationship to your body. However, when you have chronic pain or illness it is often difficult to reconnect to the body.

You may feel as though your body has betrayed you or that your illness has been a source of trauma in and of itself. Or, reconnecting to sensations might feel frightening because you are more likely to experience painful emotions or traumatic memories. So, the key is to progress slowly on the path towards embodiment. Fascia and the vagus nerve hold keys about how to do this safely. 

Trauma /Stress response mechanisms that the human body activates when facing a perceived threat

This response involves trying to please the perceived threat by being overly accommodating, submissive, or agreeable to avoid conflict. 

The fawn response is characterized by a strong desire to please or appease others in the face of trauma. Individuals exhibiting the fawn response might engage in people-pleasing behaviors, seeking to be agreeable and helpful, even to their detriment. This response often emerges from a deep-seated need for social connection and safety, even if it means sacrificing personal boundaries.

Trauma /Stress response mechanisms that the human body activates when facing a perceived threat

This response involves actively confronting the threat through aggression or assertive behavior

The fight response is characterized by a surge in adrenaline and a readiness to confront a perceived threat. This response manifests as aggression, anger, or a strong urge to resist and defend oneself. In a traumatic situation, a person exhibiting the fight response may become confrontational, argumentative, or even physically aggressive. This reaction is the body's way of feeling empowered in a situation that feels out of control.

Trauma /Stress response mechanisms that the human body activates when facing a perceived threat

This response involves physically distancing oneself from the threat by running away or avoiding the situation.

Marked by the desire to escape or avoid a threatening situation. People experiencing the flight response might display behaviors such as running away, avoiding confrontation, or seeking physical or emotional distance. This reaction aims to remove oneself from danger or perceived harm to find safety and security.

Trauma /Stress response mechanisms that the human body activates when facing a perceived threat

This response involves becoming immobile or paralyzed, often accompanied by a sense of numbness or dissociation. 

The freeze response involves feeling immobilized or "stuck" in a traumatic situation. This reaction might involve a sense of numbness, dissociation, or feeling paralyzed. It's the body's way of playing dead, hoping that the threat will pass if one remains motionless. It's a common response when the perceived danger is too overwhelming to confront or escape from. Freeze responses can go unnoticed and last a lifetime

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Healing is a journey not a destination — to be ‘healed’ does not exist, but rather a lifelong practice of healing

Individuals who experience post-traumatic stress disorder/response (PTSD/PTSR) symptoms while maintaining a seemingly successful and functional life

Individuals with high-functioning PTSD may exhibit the following symptoms, which may be less severe or present less frequently than in classic PTSD: 

Intrusive thoughts and flashbacks, Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, Negative changes in mood and cognition, and Hyperarousal and reactivity. 

Despite their ability to function well, individuals with high-functioning PTSD may still face significant challenges, including: 

Emotional distress and anxiety, Difficulty with relationships and social interactions, Sleep disturbances, Substance abuse, and Suicidal thoughts. 

A global campaign to de-stigmatize trauma and mental health while democratizing a holistic view of wellness through education, storytelling and the power of connection.

Healing as a practice, not a panacea. Healing is an Art and a Science, a combination of practices that vary per human on a daily basis. 

These practices can include but aren’t limited to (nervous system regulation, addiction support, stress/anxiety management and other modalities) that when executed in silo may not seem like much, but when working together in concert, can rewire your brain and change your life for the better!