3 Signs You’re Dealing With Trauma and What Your Next Steps Are
3 Signs You’re Dealing With Trauma and What Your Next Steps Are
Trauma can stealthily infiltrate our lives, leaving lasting imprints on our mental and emotional well-being. Identifying the symptoms is the first step towards reclaiming control over your life. Here are three common signs that you might be grappling with trauma and how Southwest Counselling Services can support you on your journey to healing and recovery.
What Is Trauma?
Trauma is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that can affect individuals in significantly varying ways. It can result from a single distressing event, such as a car accident or physical assault, or from prolonged exposure to adverse circumstances, such as childhood abuse, neglect, or ongoing domestic violence. Trauma can also be cumulative, stemming from multiple traumatic experiences over time.
At its core, trauma disrupts our sense of safety, security, and well-being, leaving us feeling vulnerable, powerless, and overwhelmed. It can shatter our beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world around us, leading to a profound sense of disconnection and mistrust. Trauma can manifest in a variety of symptoms, ranging from intrusive memories and flashbacks to avoidance behaviors, hyperarousal, and difficulties in regulating emotions.
Common Causes of Trauma
Trauma can arise from a wide range of experiences and circumstances. Some common causes of trauma include:
- Natural Disasters: Events such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, or wildfires can result in significant trauma, causing widespread devastation and loss of life.
- Accidents and Injuries: Trauma can result from accidents or injuries that pose a threat to one’s physical safety and well-being, such as car accidents, falls, or workplace injuries.
- Interpersonal Violence: Trauma often stems from interpersonal violence, including physical assault, sexual abuse, domestic violence, or intimate partner violence. These experiences can have profound and long-lasting effects on survivors’ mental and emotional health.
- Childhood Trauma: Trauma experienced during childhood, such as neglect, physical or emotional abuse, or witnessing domestic violence, can have far-reaching consequences that extend into adulthood.
- Combat and War: Military combat and exposure to war zones can lead to trauma, resulting in conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder among veterans and active-duty service members.
- Loss and Grief: The loss of a loved one, whether through death, separation, or divorce, can also be a source of trauma, triggering intense feelings of grief, sadness, and despair.
3 Symptoms of Trauma
Intrusive Memories and Flashbacks
Are you haunted by intrusive memories or flashbacks of past traumatic experiences? These unwelcome intrusions can disrupt your daily life, causing distress and emotional upheaval. At Southwest Counselling Services, our trauma-informed therapists specialize in helping individuals process and integrate traumatic memories. Through evidence-based approaches like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), we can help you navigate through these distressing experiences, freeing you from their grip on your present.
Avoidance and Numbing Behaviors
Do you find yourself avoiding reminders of the trauma or numbing your emotions to cope with overwhelming feelings? While these coping mechanisms may provide temporary relief, they often hinder long-term healing. Our therapists at Southwest Counselling Services offer a safe and supportive space to explore the underlying causes of avoidance and numbness. Through individual counselling sessions tailored to your needs, we can help you develop healthier coping strategies and regain a sense of empowerment and resilience.
Hyperarousal and Hypervigilance
Do you feel constantly on edge, hypervigilant to potential threats, or struggle to relax due to heightened arousal? These symptoms of hyperarousal and hypervigilance are common responses to trauma but can be managed with the right support. At Southwest Counselling Services, we employ a variety of modalities, including Virtual Reality (VR) therapy, to address symptoms of hyperarousal and hypervigilance. Our trauma-informed therapists can help you learn relaxation techniques, develop coping strategies, and create a sense of safety and security in your daily life.
Next Steps
Not sure where to start? Here are some ways you can start moving forward today.
Educate Yourself: Take the time to educate yourself about trauma and its effects on the mind and body. Understanding how trauma impacts your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors can help you develop greater self-awareness and self-compassion as you navigate the healing process.
Set Boundaries: Recognize the importance of setting boundaries to protect your emotional and mental well-being. This may involve limiting contact with people or situations that trigger distressing memories or emotions, and learning to assert your needs and boundaries in relationships.
Consider Therapy: Therapy can be a crucial component of healing from trauma. Consider seeking out a therapist who specializes in trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Therapy provides a safe and supportive space to explore your experiences, learn coping strategies, and work through the impact of trauma on your life.
Practice Patience and Compassion: Healing from trauma is a gradual and often nonlinear process. Be patient and compassionate with yourself as you navigate the ups and downs of healing. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and acknowledge the resilience and strength it takes to confront and overcome trauma.
Seek Professional Help for Immediate Support: If you are in crisis or experiencing thoughts of self-harm or suicide, it’s essential to seek professional help immediately. Contact a crisis hotline, mental health professional, or emergency services for immediate support and assistance.
Remember that healing from trauma is possible, and you deserve to live a life free from the burdens of the past. By taking proactive steps to address trauma and prioritize your well-being, you can reclaim your sense of self, build resilience, and create a brighter future.
If you recognize any of the signs mentioned in this article, know that you’re not alone, and help is available. Take the first step towards healing by contacting Southwest Counselling Services today. Our compassionate therapists are here to support you on your journey to healing and empowerment. Whether through individual counselling, VR therapy, EMDR, or other evidence-based modalities, we are committed to helping you reclaim your life and thrive.