Mesotrauma® - what is it and why do I need to know about it?

Wondering what an earth mesotrauma® is? You're in the right place.

Mesotrauma® is a concept I founded when I realised that there wasn't any real acknowledgement of or name for the type of stress that we live and breathe daily. Not the stuff that haunts us following trauma or the high impact stress we feel when we experience a life event. I'm talking about the daily commute, the school run, the boss that drives you crazy and that niggling knee pain that just won't go away.

What does mesotrauma® mean?

If you want the actual definition, it's derived from two Greek words - meso meaning 'middle' and trauma which has the literal meaning 'wound'. Now for the dictionary definition that isn't in the dictionary (yet!):

mesotrauma (mɛsəʊ-traʊmə)

noun

1. the midpoint between peace and trauma

2. middle-of-the-road trauma

3. the combined effect of daily stressors

Why is mesotrauma® important?

Although the effects of mesotrauma® may not be obvious immediately, I'd put money on this being the type of stress that is the real culprit behind stress-induced or exacerbated illness. Our bodies tolerate it daily yet we don’t acknowledge or mitigate it. This leaves us susceptible to its dangers, which are then exacerbated by life events and trauma, which occur less often but will eventually become the straw that breaks the camel's back.

What does that back-break look like in reality? Meltdowns, midlife crises, burnout and serious illness. Yet when we get to this point, we rarely attribute it to stress. We feel confused, concerned and turn to doctors for support, who will often find nothing physically wrong with us. We then carry on as normal until one day, they do.

We are in the midst of a stress epidemic and this is why it's important to stop ignoring the mesotrauma® and start taking action. Whether it's you as an individual wanting to learn how to control how much stress you feel, if any, in response to all future stressors or an employer whose company and employees are being weighed down by the costs of stress, I'm here to help. Get in touch and let's discuss if working together would be the best next step.

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Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram. You can also join our growing Uncouple® Network - more about this below.

The Uncouple® Network

Not a network in the traditional sense. We don't meet or know who else is in the network with us but we do share a common goal - wanting to be part of the journey to end the stress epidemic by improving our own health and the health of those around us. Whether you want to learn, support, get support or a combination, just confirm your interest by providing your first name and email address in the footer below and become part of a growing network of 'Uncouplers'. I look forward to keeping in touch (not too often though - constant, spammy emails are a stressor too!). Until next time...