Every word By Adeline Atlas (SOS: School Of Soul)
Jan 27, 2026
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PTSD and the Power of Reverberation
To truly overstand the danger of this pattern, let’s look at how PTSD operates. When someone experiences a traumatic event, the body and brain tag that moment with a heightened emotional charge. It’s like the body saying, "This was big. Remember this. Be ready for it to happen again." This process, called experience matching, is the body’s way of keeping you safe. But here’s the catch: the brain doesn’t differentiate between the original event and a trigger. If you see or hear something similar to the trauma—like a dog barking after being bitten by one—the body reacts as if it’s happening all over again. The cortisol spikes, the adrenaline pumps, and you’re thrown into fight-or-flight mode.
Now, what does this have to do with journaling? When you write about past pain without reframing it, you’re essentially tagging that experience with the same emotional intensity. Each time you revisit those words, your brain and body respond as if the event is happening again. You’re not just journaling—you’re re-traumatizing yourself.
