Trauma is something that can happen to anyone for any reason.

Some of the most common traumatic incidents someone can go through are:

• Car accidents

• Domestic or sexual abuse

• Childhood abuse or neglect

• Witnessing or being a victim of a crime

Essentially, trauma can occur when a person goes through an extremely distressing and emotional situation. There will be variations in the effects that these types of events have on a person. Even though those are the most common traumatic experiences, that does not mean the impact will be the same. Let's review the signs and symptoms of emotional trauma and how you can cope.

Signs & Symptoms of Emotional Trauma

Not everyone will go through the same exact symptoms after a traumatic event.  Some of the most common signs & symptoms of trauma can include:

• Social isolation

• Feeling hopeless

• Flashbacks of the event

• Nightmares

• Intrusive thoughts

• Avoidance of similar situations or people that remind someone of a painful memory

• An increase in anxiety levels and symptoms (such as racing heart, changes in breathing patterns)

• Changes in sleeping habits (most commonly insomnia)

• Appetite changes (eating more than normal or not as much)

• Self-medicating with drugs or alcohol to numb the pain

• Lower self-esteem

How To Treat Emotional Trauma

No matter what caused you emotional distress, you might feel as if you will always stay stuck in this vicious cycle. Even though it is challenging, healing the wounds of the past is absolutely possible. Here are just a few tips on how you can start.

Connect With Your Inner Circle

It's common for those experiencing trauma symptoms to self-isolate. When you have your guard up, it's understandable that you may not want to put yourself out there. And there is a lot of stigma surrounding mental health topics, especially trauma. Even if you don't talk to anyone in your circle about the trauma, it's important to socialize and interact with other people. After all, wanting to be with other people is in our DNA.

Self-Care

Self-care is important for everyone. However, when someone has gone through a traumatic event, it is absolutely crucial. Because the body is in a constant high alert state after trauma, it can cause it to feel even more stress.

Some foundational self-care practices that are critical are:

• Making healthy eating choices

• Trying to maintain a regular sleep schedule

• Exercising daily

There are a variety of self-care techniques that can be helpful for relaxing. These can include:

• Deep breathing exercises

• Meditation

• Crafting or other hobbies

• Yoga

• Listening to relaxing music

Grounding Techniques

Grounding techniques can help you orient yourself back into the present moment. Trauma survivors are often transported by their minds back into the past, causing them to relieve the painful experience.

Grounding techniques can help counteract this by making you aware of where you are at in the actual moment. Techniques such as identifying objects you can immediately see, sounds you can hear, things you can reach out and touch, as well as something you can taste can be highly beneficial and grounding.

Seeking Help For Trauma

The effect that trauma has on the brain is very complex. The brain itself is complex, so unraveling the knots can be overwhelming. Because of this, it can be really challenging for people to try and overcome it if they do so on their own.

If you are struggling to move forward, don't hesitate to reach out to us to learn more about trauma therapy. As licensed therapists, we are trained to understand how the brain works. But as humans, we understand the complexities of our experiences and emotions that dictate much of our lives.