Life after trauma can resemble attempting to walk through a storm where the destination isn’t always clear. You may look fine on the surface, but inside, you are carrying wounds that you didn’t even know you had. Those wounds are invisible, and it’s not going to be easy learning how to navigate life with those invisible wounds because they impact our thinking, feelings, and even physical health. Healing from trauma is not easy and is not a straight line – contributing and understanding comes in different forms. In this blog, we will explore what trauma is, its psychological consequences, and how to move to manage life after trauma.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is not just the event but it’s also the emotional, psychological, and physical responses that follow. Trauma can happen from one incident, like a car accident or an assault, or from ongoing stress like what can happen from abuse or childhood neglect or domestic violence. Some other examples of trauma can be natural disasters, losing a loved one, medical emergencies, and of course any kind of betrayal, even emotional betrayal. What’s traumatic for one person may not be traumatic for another, and that’s okay. Our brains process trauma in a way that, long after the danger has passed, the brain can elicit a fear or anxiety response; this sometimes leads to PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder), depression, anxiety, or dissociation.
Sign You May be Living With Trauma
Trauma can drastically change a person’s worldview, self-identity, and sense of security in a world where nothing seems safe. It can also leave scars that do not heal quickly and can take significant time and help to lessen. Many trauma survivors experience increased feelings of anxiety and hypervigilance, which occur as heightened feelings of being on edge in a situation that feels threatening or at risk for harm, even though the immediate environment may feel safe.Â
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- Flashbacks are more vivid and can feel as if the survivor is reliving the traumatic experience while involuntary memories or brief glimpses can remind the survivor of strong sensations of the trauma or its surroundings but may not cause a major disturbance in their level of challenge.Â
- Guilt and shame are common experiences; those who have survived abuse, assault, or war can find they carry the burden of self-blame. Many trauma survivors also experience depression and hopelessness, which can manifest as persistent sadness. Chaotic thinking and sleep disturbances can also be a by-product from trauma experiences.Â
- These are natural things that can arise in response to trauma, but they can be extremely challenging aspects of living through trauma. Fortunately, noticing these aspects of trauma can be comprehensive and be the first steps to healing.
Psychological Impact of Trauma
Trauma affects not just the mind but the body too and alters brain functions. Research indicates that trauma can create an overactive amygdala, which is in charge of fear, and inhibit the hippocampus which stores memories thus making it hard to differentiate past dangers from present dangers. Impairment of the amygdala and hippocampus activities reduces functional capacity of the prefrontal cortex, which helps govern emotions and self-regulation. These changes impact individuals emotionally and physically. For example, individuals can exhibit panic attacks and emotional dysregulation, as well as lower self-esteem, difficulty with relationships and can be burdened with chronic pain and chronic fatigue! These taken together indicate how trauma can harm us physically and emotionally.
How to Manage Life After Trauma
1. Practice Self-Compassion
When you have experienced trauma, practicing self-compassion is really important. It’s easy to blame yourself, blame how you’ve reacted to your trauma, or even feel “weak” for not being able to “move on” quickly, but the truth is that trauma is never a sign of weakness; it’s a normal human response to abhorrent things that happen to us that we don’t ask for. Be gentle and soft to yourself, and be conscious and understanding that healing is a process that unfolds over time.Â
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Affirmations can be a great way to promote self-compassion and remind you of your own strength and dignity. Telling yourself, “I am doing the best I can with what I’ve been through,” “It’s okay to have bad days,” and “My healing process is valid regardless of how long it takes” can nurture a sense of patience and kindness with yourself.
2. Practice Grounding Technique
Grounding technique can be a great tool when managing and feeling overwhelmed by emotions. Grounding techniques serve to bring you back to the current moment and reduce the level of panic or disassociation. One grounding technique is called the 5-4-3-2-1 technique which involves 5 things that you see, then 4 things that you can touch, 3 things that you can hear, 2 things that you can smell and lastly 1 thing that you can taste. Other grounding techniques include deep breathing, which you use to get yourself to relax or hold the breath.Â
These grounding techniques can also help to center your focus and ground your tension. Grounding techniques are commonly used within trauma counseling in NYC, so that the individual can work through their emotional distress in real-time.
3. Create a Support System
You won’t have to make this journey healing from trauma alone. While self-reflection and introspection are necessary, you also need others to support you. Talk to other trusted friends or family members who provide compassion and support. Knowing that other trauma survivors exist can help comfort you on your hardest days. Also consider support groups for trauma survivors. These groups help people share and listen to each other, and they provide a safe space where everyone has had similar struggles, which can be very supportive.Â
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Online communities that are populated with other trauma survivors provide a chance to connect with a larger group of people who really understand what you are struggling with. Simply being heard and understood can add to the healing process and create connection and hope!
Sign That You are Healing From Trauma
Healing is a journey that takes time; however, there are signs which indicate a positive process of healing. You may notice improvements in your sleep and appetite. After being impacted by trauma, you usually have issues with sleep or lack of appetite, etc. There will be signs of Emotional regulation as well, knowing that you can handle feelings without being flooded by feelings. With healing, you will develop a greater self-awareness and insight about yourself and feelings.Â
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You will notice that you have a renewed sense of joy, creativity and hope. You will see that you will have the ability to trust again, and to build intimacy and relationship once again, and when you do so, it would be within a new/safe context. You may maintain a healthier sense of boundaries. This will be an important step forward in your emotional recovery, and whenever you notice something positive has shifted in your life, celebrate! Each step towards healing is important! Just one step in the right direction will get you closer to healing fully.
Conclusion
Just because you’ve experienced trauma does not mean you are sentenced to suffer for the rest of your life. Trauma can rattle your core, shatter your peace, and change your view of not only your life but also yourself, but trauma does not have to define you, now or ever. You are more than the sum of your traumatic experiences. The first thing you need to do is acknowledge your trauma by understanding what it is, then purposefully decide to do something helpful to you about what life is like after trauma. Seek trauma counseling in NYC from whatever method suits you—private therapists, clinics, or an online form. The right support, given by yourself, can help you transition your pain into purpose, and your fear into freedom.
References
- Treatment, C. F. S. A. (2014). Understanding the impact of trauma. Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services – NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) – Symptoms and causes. (n.d.). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/post-traumatic-stress-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20355967
- Coping with traumatic events. (n.d.). National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/coping-with-traumatic-events
- Recovering from trauma. (n.d.). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/ss/slideshow-emotional-trauma-self-care
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