Rebuilding Body Trust After Leaving a Structured Belief System
Info from Dr. Gpt
Yes, somatic fixation can be triggered or exacerbated by the existential shock of leaving a highly structured and controlling belief system, such as evangelical Christianity. The process of deconstructing deeply held religious beliefs can lead to significant psychological distress, uncertainty, and disorientation, which may manifest as heightened anxiety and, consequently, somatic fixation.
Here's how this might occur:
1. Loss of Structure and Certainty
In evangelical Christianity, beliefs about the self, the body, and health are often deeply intertwined with spiritual meanings. When someone leaves such a belief system, they can experience a profound sense of disorientation or existential shock because the clear framework that once defined their life is gone. This loss of certainty can lead to anxiety, and anxiety often manifests as hyper-awareness of the body.
Example: If someone grew up believing their body was a temple of God and certain sensations or feelings were signs of spiritual issues, leaving that belief system might make them hyper-attuned to their body without the previous framework of meaning. This can lead to somatic fixation as they seek to understand or control what they feel physically.
2. Spiritual Abuse and the Body
Many individuals who leave evangelical Christianity may have experienced spiritual abuse, where they were taught to ignore or suppress bodily sensations (such as hunger, sexual desire, or even emotional responses) as sinful or impure. After leaving, there might be a struggle to reconnect with the body, and this could lead to over-fixation on sensations because there’s a newfound awareness of the body that was previously denied.
Example: Someone who was taught that bodily sensations were either divine messages or temptations from the devil might now feel confused or anxious about these sensations. Without the spiritual framework to interpret these feelings, they may fixate on them, worrying that something is physically or emotionally wrong.
3. Existential Anxiety and the Body
Leaving a religion like evangelical Christianity often brings up deep existential questions about meaning, mortality, and identity. This existential anxiety can manifest in the body as physical tension, tightness, or even unexplained aches, which in turn may lead to somatic fixation as the individual attempts to make sense of their physical discomfort in the context of their newfound freedom from religious explanations.
Example: After leaving the faith, someone might notice a feeling of tightness in their chest and fixate on it, wondering if it’s a sign of illness, anxiety, or something else. Without the religious explanations they were once provided, this physical sensation can lead to spiraling worry or fear of the unknown.
4. Disconnection from Former Identity
In evangelical Christianity, there’s often a strong emphasis on the separation between the spiritual self and the physical body. When someone leaves that framework, they may feel disconnected from their own body and experience somatic symptoms as they try to reconnect with their physical existence. This disconnection can create a sense of unfamiliarity with the body, leading to increased anxiety and somatic fixation.
Example: After leaving, someone might feel unfamiliar with their own body or even alienated from it, leading to obsessive attention to physical sensations that were previously overlooked. They may be searching for new ways to understand and relate to their body, which can result in fixation.
5. Trauma Responses
If the individual experienced religious trauma, their nervous system might be in a heightened state of hypervigilance, making them more likely to notice and fixate on bodily sensations. Trauma often leaves people feeling unsafe in their bodies, leading to a cycle of anxiety about physical symptoms, which can perpetuate somatic fixation.
Example: Someone who experienced intense fear around divine punishment or control over their body within the religion may, after leaving, become highly sensitive to bodily sensations as part of a trauma response. This fixation could represent the body’s way of trying to regain control or make sense of new and unsettling feelings.
---
How to Help a Client with Somatic Fixation After Leaving Religion:
1. Grounding in New Beliefs: Encourage them to explore new frameworks or philosophies that allow for a more grounded understanding of the body and its sensations. This might involve secular practices, mindfulness, or even exploring other spiritual traditions that offer a healthier relationship with the body.
2. Mind-Body Connection: Help them reconnect with their body through practices like yoga, breathwork, or body scanning. These practices can help them feel more at home in their body and reduce the sense of unfamiliarity or disconnection that fuels somatic fixation.
3. Cognitive Restructuring: Work on identifying and challenging old beliefs from their religious background that may still be influencing their relationship with their body. For example, if they were taught that certain physical sensations were sinful or spiritually significant, help them reframe these beliefs in a more neutral or positive way.
4. Trauma-Informed Therapy: If trauma is a factor, consider trauma-focused therapies such as EMDR or somatic experiencing to help release stored trauma from the body and reduce fixation on bodily sensations.
5. Focus on Empowerment: Leaving a religion often means reclaiming one’s autonomy and sense of self. Encourage them to view their body as something they can trust and care for, rather than something to fear or mistrust. Building self-compassion and body trust can help alleviate somatic fixation.
---
Final Thoughts:
Somatic fixation after leaving a structured religious system like evangelical Christianity can stem from existential shock, anxiety, and unresolved trauma. The process of deconstructing one’s beliefs and reconnecting with the body can bring up deep-seated anxieties about control, mortality, and identity, making the body a focal point for that uncertainty. By addressing these underlying issues, reconnecting with the body, and processing trauma, individuals can reduce somatic fixation and develop a healthier relationship with their physical and emotional experiences.
