Trauma is an often-hidden force that can shape our lives negatively in profound ways and as such, You must heal from this negative force to save you from its underlying consequences. But before you can be able to save yourself from trauma, it is important to know if you are a victim of trauma or if you are traumatised.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what trauma is, the signs that you may be dealing with it, and the crucial steps towards healing and recovery.

Understanding and addressing trauma is an essential part of prioritising your mental health.

Often time, people associate trauma with physical abuse, molestation or rape.

So, when something happens and you observe someone gets triggered by something trivial and ask them about trauma, you’ll get responses like;

No, no one beat me when I was a child, it can’t possibly be trauma.

Or

I was never sexually abused, so I am not traumatised at all.

But then, who made the rules that only people who were hit as children or people who were sexually molested have traumatic stress?

To uncover the truth, we will go over this step by step.

First,
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐦𝐚?

Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or combination of events that goes beyond what we can handle. It can manifest as physical, emotional, or psychological harm. Trauma can arise from any experience that has a lasting effect; it is not just a result of terrible occurrences.

𝙏𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 (3) 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙮𝙥𝙚𝙨 𝙊𝙛 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖.

From the definition above, you can deduce that trauma is not just a response to only terrible occurrences which may include rape or abuse. This means trauma can be a response to what you may see as trivial, such as negligence.

Below are the common types of trauma;

1 𝘼𝙘𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖: This type of trauma results from one incident. A good example of this type of trauma is,

√ 𝙋𝙏𝙎𝘿 (𝘗𝘰𝘴𝘵-𝘛𝘳𝘢𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘚𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘋𝘪𝘴𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳).

This is a kind of trauma that causes a disorder to the mental, physical/social and spiritual well-being of a person. PTSD may occur in people who have witnessed life-threatening situations, like

~War,
~ natural disasters,
~intense accidents,
~sexual harassment/rape.

Its symptoms begin after the traumatic event has ended and keep occurring even after years if the victim isn’t completely healed.

2. 𝘾𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖: This is a type of trauma that happens over time because it’s repeated. This type of trauma is mostly traced from childhood, such as;

~Emotional, physical or Sexual Abuse.
~Negligence.
~Abandonment.
~Bullying.
~Witnessing Domestic Violence.
~ Substance Abuse.

3. 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙭/𝙑𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙨 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖: This type of trauma stems from absorbing trauma through exposure to others’ suffering.
This type of trauma is common in professions like healthcare or first responders.

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙏𝙤 𝙍𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖 𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙨 𝙄𝙣 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛.

Recognizing trauma in yourself can be challenging, however early recognition of these signs is a crucial step in healing:

1. 𝙋𝙝𝙮𝙨𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙞𝙜𝙣𝙨: There are physical symptoms that come with having traumatic situations, they include,

~ Difficulty sleeping.
~ Dizziness.
~ Chest Pains.
~ Numbness.
~ Eating Disorder.

2. 𝘼𝙩𝙩𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙄𝙨𝙨𝙪𝙚𝙨: These include,

~ Interpersonal difficulty.
~ Social Isolation.
~ Difficulty trusting others.
~ Unable to seek help from others.

3. 𝘽𝙚𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙨: They include,

~ Pathological self-soothing practices.
~ Self-destructive behaviour.
~ Aggressive behaviour.
~ Excessive compliance.

4. 𝙀𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝙎𝙮𝙢𝙥𝙩𝙤𝙢𝙨: Trauma can cause a host of emotional changes and signs in a person.

They are;

~ Heightened sensitivity.
~ Extremely negative emotions.
~ panic attacks.
~ Difficulty describing emotions and internal states.
~ Anxiety.
~ Intrusive memories of the traumatic event.

𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙥𝙨 𝙏𝙤𝙬𝙖𝙧𝙙 𝙃𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙔𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙪𝙢𝙖.

Untreated trauma can seep into every aspect of your life.

Take a moment for self-assessment. Reflect on past experiences and feelings. If you suspect trauma do the following,

~ Recognize that healing is a journey, and it’s okay to ask for help.
~ Be patient with yourself; healing takes time.
~ Stay connected with supportive friends and family.
~ Seek professional help( look for a therapist with experience in trauma and PTSD who can provide a clearer diagnosis and path forward ).
~ Start writing a journal of your progress as that can encourage you on your journey to healing.

𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙡𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.

Trauma is a significant force in many lives, but it doesn’t have to define us. By recognizing the signs of trauma and taking proactive steps towards healing, you can regain control of your life. Remember, healing is possible, and you’re never alone on this journey. Reach out for help, offer support to others, and let’s prioritize our mental health together.

Thank you for reading and taking the first step towards understanding and healing from trauma.

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