WHAT IS TRAUMA & HOW CAN IT AFFECT YOU?

Trauma is one of the most common, but least understood experiences that many of us will encounter throughout our lives. The effect of trauma on our mental health can result in depression and anxiety, lead to addiction, impact our physical health and wellbeing, and damage relationships with loved ones.

TRAUMA CAN BE AN INVISIBLE EXPERIENCE

• Trauma can be an emotional experience. It can be a single event, or it can be ongoing and severe.
• Trauma can occur when you’re physically harmed.
• Sexual trauma is another form of trauma, including sexual assault and rape.
• Sometimes, the effects of trauma don’t always appear right away—they may come out later in life as depression or anxiety disorders. In fact, most people who have been through a traumatic experience start showing signs around six months after the event happened.

NOT ALL TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCES ARE VIOLENT

Although the word trauma is often associated with a violent experience, it does not have to be. Trauma can be caused by a single event or an ongoing series of events that are overwhelming for your child.

For example, when a child experiences something upsetting or frightening and is not able to process what happened, he or she may begin to feel overwhelmed with emotions such as fear, shame and sadness. This can lead to anxiety and depression later on if the child is unable to work through the feelings from the traumatic event in order to move on emotionally.

TRAUMA IS A SUBJECTIVE EXPERIENCE

 

Trauma is an individual experience.

It’s not a diagnosis, it’s not a synonym for PTSD or abuse, and it’s definitely not a synonym for neglect. Trauma is what you make of it, how you define and understand it—and that can be different for everyone who experiences trauma.

If you’ve been through something traumatic, ask yourself what your experience was like: What were the actual events? How did they make me feel? What have I done since then to cope with my feelings about what happened? How do I feel now? Sometimes people have difficulty answering these questions because they’re still trying to process their feelings or get past certain emotions that are blocking them from moving on with their lives (like shame).

TRAUMA AFFECTS US MENTALLY, PHYSICALLY, & SPIRITUALLY

Trauma affects us mentally, physically, and spiritually. When trauma occurs, it can cause a wide range of feelings and reactions from fear to anger to depression. These feelings can worsen over time if not addressed properly.

In addition to mental health issues that may arise as a result of trauma there could also be physical effects such as pain or fatigue related to past experiences or even current stressors (e.g., lack of sleep). The body needs time to recover from these experiences but sometimes the brain is too busy trying not focus on the present moment because it is still stuck in the past event itself which leads me onto my next topic…

EVERYONE EXPERIENCES TRAUMA DIFFERENTLY

It’s important to understand that everyone experiences trauma differently. This is because there are many factors that influence how people cope with a traumatic event, including their past experiences and the support they have at hand.

For example, imagine two children who were both in car accidents caused by reckless drivers: one child was able to reach out to loved ones for help through social media or calling them on the phone; whereas another child was not able to do so due to financial constraints or lack of access. The first child will likely have more post-traumatic stress symptoms than the second child if both go through similar incidents. In addition, differences between them could arise from personality traits like optimism versus pessimism; or perhaps one grew up in an environment where it was okay for him/her to express feelings openly while another had been taught it wasn’t appropriate—and that could contribute towards how each reacts after his/her accident too!

TRAUMA CAN BE INHERITED OR PASSED DOWN TO FUTURE GENERATIONS

You may have heard that trauma can be passed down to future generations, and this is true. How? There are a few ways the effects of trauma can be passed on to the next generation, but one of them is through epigenetics. Epigenetics is when changes in your DNA cause changes in how your genes express themselves without changing the actual DNA sequence itself. This means that having parents who experienced trauma could lead you to experience similar problems with regulating your emotions as an adult because their experiences were embedded into their genes and transferred to you!

WE CAN RECOVER FROM TRAUMA

Trauma is not a permanent state of being. We can recover from trauma, and you are not alone. Here are some ways you can help yourself or others heal:

• Talk with someone who has been through similar experiences and knows how to listen. Ask them how they coped, what helped them heal, or what resources they used. Support groups are also great places to talk about your experience and learn about resources in your community that are available for people who have experienced trauma.
• Receive professional counseling or treatment if you feel it’s necessary (this may include medication). The road to healing from trauma isn’t always easy, but it is possible!

SEEK HELP IF YOU’RE DEALING WITH TRAUMA

• Talk to a trusted friend or family member: This might seem like an obvious step, but it’s often overlooked. Sometimes the best person to talk to is someone who doesn’t know you well enough to judge.
• There are groups, chatrooms, & tools all around you. Just start your search and don’t stop until you find something that works for you.
• Seek help from a therapist: If your problems are severe enough that they may interfere with your daily life and relationships, this is another option that could be beneficial in helping get through the recovery process. You can also seek out online counseling services like BetterHelp if face-to-face sessions aren’t an option for you at this time (but please make sure it’s actually legitimate!).

THERE IS HOPE

Trauma is a real, painful, and highly individual experience — but it’s also something that can be overcome. The first step toward recovery is understanding trauma and its effects on the brain & body. With this knowledge, you can start to recognize the symptoms of trauma in yourself and others. Even though trauma can feel insurmountable at times, it’s possible to get through these experiences with support from people who care about you.