What is Trauma?
You may have been wondering, “What trauma do I have?” If you have experienced extreme anxiety or fear, or are feeling shame or guilt, you may have been affected by trauma. These feelings can make life difficult and prevent you from leading a peaceful life. But you can heal from your trauma. There are several things you can do to begin the healing process.
Signs of trauma
Traumatic events can cause a number of symptoms in a person. Many of these symptoms can be very obvious, but others are much more subtle. Symptoms of trauma can appear on a regular or irregular basis. They may include shaking, inability to pay attention, excessive tiredness, and aches and pains in the body. They may also cause an individual to exhibit hyperactive behaviour or high blood pressure.
One of the more common symptoms of trauma is extreme emotional instability. This can manifest as irritability, anger, or sadness. It can also lead to severe anxiety. Sometimes these emotions can be accompanied by self-blame or hopelessness. These symptoms are often a sign of unresolved trauma.
If a person is experiencing intense symptoms, they should seek help immediately. For those with mild symptoms, talking to a trusted adult may help them feel better. For severe cases, they should seek help from a mental health professional. In addition, they should try grounding exercises to bring their body back into control.
Triggers
Triggers of trauma are psychological events that cause us to involuntarily recall a traumatic experience. The event need not be frightening or traumatic in order to act as a trigger. It can even be something that superficially resembles the incident. But a trigger must be a significant enough reminder to trigger a traumatic memory in us.
Often times, trauma triggers are associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and related disorders. But everyone’s reaction to a traumatic experience is unique. The triggers may be very obvious or very subtle, depending on the severity and circumstances of the original trauma. Understanding your triggers can help you find the help you need to recover from your trauma.
Triggers can be internal or external. The internal trigger comes from a person’s mind, while the external trigger comes from their environment. The external trigger could be a situation, a place, or even a person.
Recovery time
After a trauma, it takes time for victims to recover and move on with their lives. This is because trauma disrupts many aspects of a person’s life, including their physical health and relationship with their body. This means that recovery time is never a linear process and will often involve detours, delays, and setbacks. However, there are several steps to follow that will aid in the healing process.
The impact of trauma and recovery time is not directly proportional to the extent of injury, but rather depends on a person’s engagement in the recovery process.
Recovery time for trauma victims can vary from few days to months, and the recovery process is unique to each person. While everyone responds differently, it’s important to remember that it’s normal to experience emotional trauma, which is an innate part of the human brain. In addition to mental and emotional reactions, physical symptoms may also occur, and they shouldn’t be judged. It’s also common to need practical help to get back to normal routine. This might include helping with household chores, grocery shopping, or just listening.
Treatment options
There are many treatment options available for people suffering from the effects of trauma. Trauma-related disorders can affect a person’s mood, body’s ability to fight off illnesses, sleep patterns, appetite, and more. People affected by trauma may find it difficult to find the right form of therapy, including psychotherapy and medication.
One option is cognitive behavioural therapy. This treatment focuses on teaching the patient to think about their own behaviour in a different way. CBT is a form of cognitive therapy that focuses on self-control and learning new behaviours. It can take as little as twelve sessions or longer, depending on the severity of the trauma.
Cognitive behavioural therapy helps people identify the causes of negative emotions and helps them cope with these. It also helps patients understand the role of the mind in determining and regulating their emotions. CBT has been shown to be effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD and other co-occurring disorders.
