There are many things that take place in our bodies and minds as a result of trauma – one of them is called “over-coupling.” This is where the trauma gets linked to (or “over-coupled” with) other elements that are in the environment around the time when the trauma takes place. These elements act as triggers (or signals) to the part of us that is in charge of survival, our “survival mechanisms.” Subsequently, these triggers can set off a fight, flight, or freeze response in us.
The process of growing up is one of collecting these “blueprints for survival,” which are meant to help us avoid similar experiences (and thus similar dangers) in the future. This mechanism is thus very important to us.
Unfortunately, the useful information about what is potentially dangerous (e.g. walking home alone in the dark in a bad area of town) is not the only information that gets attached to the trauma. For example, say at the age of five I am in the middle of enjoying my friend’s birthday party when (out of curiosity) I push my finger into a small hole in the wall (what we call “electrical sockets”). As a result I receive a bad electrical shock. Now, along with the information that these little holes in the wall are dangerous (and painful!), I will probably also have imbibed some other details about the event (e.g. the color of the walls, what I was wearing, I was having a lot of fun etc.). As a result, when I encounter these things again (especially if they come together) I can get “triggered” in some way – and feel frightened, angry, defensive, or frozen.
This same phenomenon also happens in Krishna consciousness. If a devotee experiences a trauma while engaged in a devotional activity, then the devotional activity can get “over-coupled” with the trauma. In this way, Krishna consciousness can start to feel “dangerous.” If this happens, then even innocent things in devotee’s lives such as kirtana, tilak, service, saffron, or Srimad-Bhagavatam can get “over-coupled” with the trauma and thus feel “dangerous.” If the trauma has been very bad (such as in childhood abuse) then the individual may abandon Krishna consciousness as a survival tactic because he or she is being repeatedly triggered into fear, anger, or freeze.
