Coping with Emotional and Psychological Trauma

A sudden illness, assault, tragic loss, disturbing feelings or experience with a natural disaster or any such unforeseen changes affecting daily work or challenging inner peace; while some may experience distress following a traumatic event and recover in a relatively short period, a vast majority of them suffer the long-lasting effect. Traumas in which the effects are long-term may face mental illness such as PTSD (post-traumatic disorder), which may be cured and treated with therapy and self-help.

Symptoms:

  • Emotional:

  1. Sadness

  2. Anger

  3. Denying things

  4. Fear

  5. Shame

  • Physical:

  1. Nausea

  2. Dizziness

  3. Altered sleep patterns

  4. Changes in appetite

  5. Headaches

Causes of trauma.

-     Past events – accidents, abandonments, injury, emotional/physical attack.

-     Ongoing circumstances causing stress – battling a life-threatening illness, holding grudges, childhood neglect, school bullying, etc.

-     Commonly overlooked events –the sudden death of a closed one, disappointing experiences, facing some family or business difficulties, etc.

Psychological trauma –

A Constant struggle with upsetting emotions, memories, occasional mood swings, anxiety and the inability to trust people due to uncertain events from the past  can be called psychological trauma. These experiences can be life-threatening or trigger an individual helpless.

Psychological trauma may have a lot of effects on an individual, this can include mental illnesses such as:

1-      PTSD

2-      Depression

3-      Anxiety

4-      Separation Anxiety

5-      Dissociative disorder

6-      Insomnia

Childhood trauma and the risk of future trauma

The nature of family relationships has a significant role in childhood trauma, as a child develops attachment issues with the one they spend time with. Parental separation, experiencing emotional or physical assault, or being a victim of bullying at a young age can leave an imprint on the child's life, leading to increased psychological distress in adulthood.

Healing from trauma 

Accept the pace of recovery and remember that there will be many ups and downs and bitter moments to face. Never pressure into conversing about things that are hard for you to open up.

Points to remember while recovering from trauma 

-          Engage in healthy conversations and avoid thinking negatively.

-          Be patient and understanding

-          Try to be transparent on your thoughts with your therapist

-          Remember your safe space if healing hurts emotionally.

-          Join a support group if recommended

-          Focus on enjoying little things

Divya ShettyComment