Trauma is the term used to describe your emotional reaction to a situation that leaves you feeling threatened, afraid, and helpless.
The threshold for what harm is "severe enough" to create trauma is not predetermined. A single near-death experience, such as a vehicle accident, can be considered a traumatic event. However, traumatic incidents can also be intricate, continuing, or repeatedly occurring over time, such as neglect or abuse. Trauma doesn't always leave you with obvious injuries because threats can cause physical or psychological suffering. However, it may continue to exist for a long time as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Trauma might make you question your beliefs about the nature of your reality and your own identity. This disruption may have repercussions on every aspect of your life, including your future plans, physical well-being, and relationship with your own body.
Trauma rehabilitation isn't usually pretty or linear, and it frequently takes a long time to heal from such a significant amount of trauma. Obstacles, detours, and delays, as well as setbacks and lost ground, may be present on your trip. It's okay if you don't know where you're going or how to get there. Trauma healing can take a variety of shapes, just as trauma can take many different forms. Although there isn't a set route to follow, keeping these 7 things in mind might be useful.
Recovery happens over a period of time and in stages
You can't merely "get over" trauma with the snap of your fingers. There are usually a number of duties involved in recovery, and you can't really omit any of them. The Extended Transformational Model proposes five stages for trauma recovery:
-Pre-trauma. These speak to the character attributes and worldview you had prior to the experience. This stage can be viewed as your overall state at the time the trauma happens.
-Reflection. Your brain is attempting to make sense of the trauma at this point. At this point, you can be experiencing a lot of powerful emotions and upsetting recollections.
-Centering an event. This stage is a crucial one. At this point, you evaluate how trauma has affected your life and decide what you want to do moving forward.
-Control. You start actively changing your life and attempting to deal with your trauma symptoms at this stage.
-Mastery. Here, you start to acclimate to your new, post-trauma life while honing your coping mechanisms. Even while the trauma may still have an impact on you, it no longer dictates how you live.
These phases might not exactly correspond to your recovery process. These steps provide more of a general framework than a particular pattern that needs to be followed.
Healing is not a race
Reading about other people who have gone through similar painful experiences might be reassuring. Additionally, recovery stories can inspire you and make you feel less alone. Having said that, resist the need to compare your personal journey to the experiences of others. But it's crucial to remember that your journey is unique to you. Even if someone had the same trauma, it is likely that they had distinct experiences before the trauma and were in a different context when it occurred. Take into account where you came from. Also keep in mind that your development is not undone by someone else's accomplishment.
Your entire self is involved in recovery
Both trauma and healing do not occur in a vacuum. Let's say you have overcome a sexual attack. Your reaction to that trauma may depend on a variety of variables, including your gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion. These aspects of your identity should always be taken into consideration in trauma care programs.
Growth after trauma is conceivable
Post-traumatic growth refers to any favorable improvements in your life that result from getting over a painful experience. Improvement arises from the healing process, not from the trauma itself. In other words, rather than as a result of the agony and hurt, you can grow stronger despite it. Be aware that post-traumatic growth doesn't have to be all or nothing. Many people go through a combination of hardships and growth. For instance, you can discover that getting better makes you more appreciative of life's little pleasures, but also more vulnerable than before.
Self-care is crucial
The healing process is not usually given enough time by society as a whole. People who urge you to "move on" from your trauma or "just get over it now" and resume your normal life may cross your path during your healing process. Of course, their needs are frequently better served by this advise than yours. Trauma can be physically and emotionally exhausting, so you might need more sleep than you think to recuperate. When you need a break, it's acceptable to take naps, unwind with a classic book or TV program, or just sit quietly. Self-care may be viewed as an act of vengeance against the outside forces that have attempted to harm you. In other words, you're actively preventing injury to your body and soul in the future.
Your choices for obtaining community assistance
Social support is often a key component of trauma rehabilitation for many people. Many trauma survivors have discovered that when they start the delicate process of recovery, their ties with family, romantic partners, and friends grow stronger. However, if someone in your community has harmed you, you might not feel comfortable telling everyone in your social circle about your trauma. If it applies to you, joining a peer support group can be a wise move. People who have experienced comparable experiences work together in support groups to aid one another in their healing and rehabilitation. Most support groups are free and private. However, you can join support groups online from the comfort of your own home if you prefer even more discretion.
Trauma informed care can be helpful
As you move toward recovery, assistance from a mental health professional, especially a therapist who understands trauma, can frequently be helpful. The following are some ways that trauma survivors' particular needs are supported by physical and mental treatment that is trauma-informed:
-Emotionally security. Healthcare practitioners who are trauma-informed take care to talk to you about your past without causing you to relive your trauma or bringing on post-traumatic stress symptoms.
-Cultural awareness Your therapist ought to be conversant with the social mores and common lingo of your home country.
-Agency. Utilizing your strengths, trauma-informed care attempts to give you back your sense of power and control.
-Social interaction Your therapist could advise you to get in touch with local support groups and other trauma sufferers.
A trauma-informed approach to care can be included by therapists into nearly any therapy.
It can take a long time and a lot of effort to recover from trauma, but it is definitely doable. But keep in mind that recuperation is typically a slow process. It can be quite beneficial to have plenty of self-compassion and patience with yourself. And never forget that you don't have to travel alone. While therapists can offer more expert advice, loved ones and other survivors can offer emotional support.