Last Updated on April 2, 2023
Many people go through a traumatic experience, but most don’t know how to cope with it. They may hear that they should move on and stop dwelling on the past. Their feelings may not be validated, and they may be told that what they went through wasn’t so bad or that other people have it worse.
Sometimes, people may not say the right things, and their good intentions can actually turn out to be harmful. However, denying the effects of trauma doesn’t remove it from your life – in fact, it can worsen the situation.
What is psychological trauma?
Psychological trauma results from highly stressful events that impact your sense of security and make you feel helpless. You may experience upsetting emotions and memories and anxiety. What’s more, psychological trauma can also cause feelings of numbness, disconnection from others, and an inability to trust those around you.
Traumatic experiences often make you feel like your life or safety was threatened. However, any event that leaves you feeling isolated and overwhelmed can lead to trauma, although there was no physical harm. What makes an event traumatic is your subjective emotional experience of it – not the objective circumstances. The more helpless and fearful you feel in a situation, the more likely it is to experience trauma due to it.
Several factors can lead to psychological trauma:
- Ongoing stress that results from domestic violence, bullying, childhood neglect or dealing with a life-threatening illness.
- One-time events, like an injury, accident, or a violent attack – especially if it occurred in childhood or unexpectedly.
- Other overlooked causes such as the death of a loved one, a surgery, going through a breakup, or a humiliating experience.
What are the symptoms of trauma?
Everyone reacts differently to trauma, experiencing distinct emotional and physical reactions. There’s no such thing as the ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ way to feel, think, or respond to an event, so don’t be hard on yourself. Keep in mind that your responses are normal, considering the event’s impact on your life.
Emotional symptoms of trauma include:
- Feeling hopeless or sad;
- Fear and anxiety;
- Denial, shock;
- Mood swings, irritability, and anger;
- Difficulty concentrating;
- Feeling numb or disconnected;
- Withdrawal;
- Shame and guilt.
Physical symptoms include:
- Muscle tension;
- Fatigue;
- Racing heartbeat;
- Aches and pains;
- Nightmares and insomnia;
- Trembling;
- Feeling dizzy;
- Rapid thoughts;
- Loss or boost of appetite.
How can you recover from trauma?
Trauma symptoms usually last between a few days and a few months and slowly fade away once you process the painful event. However, the distressing emotions and memories may still trouble you even after you start feeling better – especially when there’s a trigger that reminds you of the traumatic event.
If the symptoms don’t decrease – or they worsen – and you cannot move on from the unsettling experience for a long time, you may be dealing with PTSD. While emotional trauma is normal when you go through a disturbing event, PTSD is a more severe condition that you develop when you get stuck in psychological shock and aren’t able to process your feelings.
It’s important to remember that recovering from trauma is possible. Even if you feel overwhelmed right now, you can gradually get your life back on track with the proper support.
Depending on your situation, there are several steps you can take towards healing. For instance, if your trauma results from a car accident, you should not hesitate to make a compensation claim, as it can help you deal with the financial burden, which can put your mind at ease and allow you to focus on your recovery. Specialists like Accident Claims UK can guide you through the legal process and help you claim the compensation you deserve.
While the following tips can help you cope with stress after a traumatic event, they can’t replace professional treatment, so make sure to consult a mental health expert that can help you recover.
Accept your feelings
Traumatic stress can lead to all sorts of difficult emotions, including anger, guilt and shock. However, these are all normal responses to the loss of security and safety – as well as property, life and limb – that come after a disaster. Accepting these feelings is a critical part of the recovery process.
Give yourself time to mourn the losses and validate your experience. This means realizing that whatever you went through was real and caused significant pain. Don’t force healing – practice patience and make space for those uncomfortable emotions. While it may not seem like it right now, these feelings won’t feel so overwhelming at some point.
Reach out to people
Withdrawing from people is a common reaction after a traumatic event. However, connecting with others is crucial to recovery. While having your space is essential, you should consider surrounding yourself with people who support your healing. You don’t necessarily have to talk about your experience if you aren’t comfortable with it. Simply connecting with others and talking about usual things will provide you with a sense of comfort.
Isolating yourself from others can negatively impact recovery, so if you notice you avoid others sometime after the event, consider seeking professional help. If you isolate yourself, negative thoughts will overwhelm you, leading to vicious cycles of anxiety and depression. Therefore, it’s critical to build a schedule so that you can get out of your head and spend time with others.
Take care of your body
Having a healthy body can go a long way in the recovery process. Here’s how you can take care of yourself:
- Get enough sleep. After experiencing trauma, fear and worry may affect your sleep patterns. At the same time, lack of sleep can exacerbate your symptoms and make it difficult to stay emotionally balanced. Therefore, you should create a sleep schedule where you go to bed and wake up at the same hour every day. Also, make sure to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.
- Eat well-balanced meals. Eating balanced meals during the day will help you maintain your energy high and reduce mood swings. Avoid fried and sugary foods and include a lot of omega-3 fats in your meals – such as walnuts, salmon and soybeans.
- Reduce stress. Consider getting into meditation or yoga or try some deep breathing exercises. Also, indulge in activities that make you happy, such as hobbies.
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. Their use can worsen your symptoms and increase feelings of isolation, anxiety and depression.
Challenge feelings of helplessness
Overcoming traumatic stress means taking action. Positive things like volunteering your time, giving blood, or comforting others can help you overcome helplessness and fear, contributing to your healing.
If you can’t commit to volunteering, you can simply be helpful to others. Small actions like opening a door for a stranger and sharing a smile with someone you meet during the day can make a significant difference. These little yet meaningful actions can challenge your feelings of helplessness and improve your mood.
