You went through something traumatic. Now, you feel alone, anxious and just don’t feel like yourself. Maybe you aren’t sleeping well or you wake up with nightmares.
Trauma-When you've experienced trauma, it can be excruciating. You may feel at a loss as to how to process what you've been through or how you can even start to heal. You just want to experience a sense of safety again. But the impact of trauma can cut deep. Even if you feel lost, there's hope and a variety of trauma treatment programs and support groups available that can help you, (Fader, 2020).
Traumatic event- It basically refers to an event perceived by an individual as a threat to sanity, the integrity of the body, and life. Trauma and event are two different things. Trauma comes in when you find it difficult to handle a horrible event. This condition can be overwhelming, (Better Life Website).
Effects of Psychological trauma- It can affect your life for many years after the event or situation that caused it. It isn't a problem that's easily resolved, especially if you try to do it on your own. There are many reasons that trauma hurts us and causes Post Traumatic Stress Disorders ( PTSD). One thing you may not know is that trauma physically changes our brains; according to trauma therapists, when you experience a traumatic event, your mind changes. Areas of your brain that once worked in a particular way change, based on hyperarousal due to trauma, (Better Life Website).
The benefit of setting personal goals in trauma therapy- There is always a need to prepare your mind that trauma therapy is beneficial, even before you begin your therapy sessions. You should also be filled with the curiosity of the goals that ought to be accomplished and the way you will be after all the sessions. It is important to be aware of your trauma, what your triggers are, and in what way do you react, what your goal in therapy will be? Is it to tell your story? To create awareness? To be at peace? To confront your abuser, or some other reason not listed? (Better Life Website).
The following are some of the basic goals of trauma therapy (Source Better Life)- To successfully handle the reality of the traumatic event that occurred in the past ( it prevents it from getting a hold on you); to eliminate or ameliorate the symptoms of trauma; to change the focus of the past event to the present; to boost day to day functioning; getting people to know about hereditary trauma helping individuals regain their "personal power"; helping individuals getting over addictions caused by traumatic stress, and to equip individuals with skills to help prevent deterioration or relapse
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)-Some people develop PTSD after experiencing life-threatening or traumatic events. It’s often associated with soldiers that have been to war but can be experienced by people that have survived events like accidents, natural disasters, abuse, and other trauma,( Better Help Website).
Prevalence - According to the National Institute of Mental Health, “Women are more likely to develop PTSD than men, and genes may make some people more likely to develop PTSD than others,” but that doesn’t mean men don’t also struggle with the disorder. There are many factors that determine who experiences PTSD following trauma and who doesn’t, (rawpixel.com).
PTSD Physical Symptoms-Many people are more aware of the mental and emotional symptoms of the disorder. Not as many people are familiar with PTSD's physical symptoms. While the physical symptoms are more comfortable to recognize, they can also be symptoms of other health conditions, both mental and physical. If you recognize the following symptoms in yourself or someone you know, it’s an indicator that there is likely a problem that needs to be addressed (Source ( rawpixel.com).
- Hyperarousal-Some people that experience PTSD from traumatic situations they’ve lived through have a heightened sense of anxiety. This can cause them to be more sensitive to stimuli around them than they would be otherwise. It can cause physical symptoms like startling easier, muscle tension, and increased heartbeat, a constant state of alert
- Body Aches and Chronic Pain-PTSD and chronic pain, are not caused by each other but are both results of similar situations. PTSD experience body aches and physical pain because the hyperarousal they experience causes muscle tension, which can lead to Chronic Myofascial Pain.
- Digestive Issues-Some people experiencing PTSD struggle with digestive issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). In fact, research has found that 35% of people with PTSD have been reported to experience IBS (IBS can cause diarrhea, constipation, or a mix of both). It is linked with anxiety, such as that caused by PTSD, and the symptoms can also lead to additional anxiety.
- Migraines or Chronic Headaches-Migraines are more than just a headache. They generally include persistent throbbing of the head, usually one side more than the other, nausea, vomiting, and sensitivity to light. When headaches and migraines aren’t correctly managed, they can impact your life by causing you to miss work and other activities and events in your personal life. If you’re experiencing migraines, you may find it helpful to rest in a quiet and darkroom.
- Trouble Sleeping-There is several different reasons why people suffering from PTSD experience trouble sleeping, as shared by the Veteran’s Affairs National Center for PSTD. Some of the reasons that it may be difficult for you to get the sleep and rest that you need is because of the other symptoms caused by PTSD especially hyper-alertness and fear of imminent danger. Another reason for poor sleep is stress because it can cause your mind to run with negative thoughts and worries, and also PTSD is an anxiety disorder. It’s also common for those with PTSD to have nightmares.
- Other Symptoms of PTSD-Not all symptoms of PTSD are physical. This can make them more difficult for people to spot and identify what’s happening. It can also make it easier for people to hide their symptoms if they are embarrassed about reaching out for help. Some of these symptoms include: Flashbacks or reliving traumatic events, difficulty concentrating; not remembering specific details of events; increased feelings of anger and possibly outbursts; increased fear and anxiety; feeling detached or withdrawn from loved ones; and lack of interest in activities that you used to enjoy.
Share with a Counsellor- You went through something traumatic. Now, you feel alone, anxious, and just don’t feel like yourself. Maybe you aren’t sleeping well or you wake up with nightmares. Have you or a loved one experienced a stressful event that you wish you could forget? Do you feel on edge all the time and avoid things that remind you of that memory? Are you often angry or feeling guilty when you think of what happened. You may be wondering ‘will the pain ever go away’? Or perhaps you’ve heard of PTSD and wonder if you’ve it. You’ve wondered, “Could trauma or PTSD treatment help?”. You don’t have to be held back by PTSD symptoms. The good news is, trauma therapy can help you feel better. Through the Share with a Counsellor Mobile App, a trauma therapist is available from anywhere at any time. Even when nothing is making sense or adding up just share with us, we will figure it out with you.
