Most people have gone through significant things in their early life which shaped their view of themselves and the world. But, how do you know if these experiences were traumas that negatively affected you? And if they did, how do you, as an adult, overcome them? Today’s blog will cover the definition of trauma and resulting symptoms in order to help you identify if therapeutic trauma work would be useful to your mental health.
What is Trauma
Trauma is a powerful emotional response to a distressing event, such as war, a medical emergency, the unexpected loss of a loved one, or abuse. Trauma can continue to cause both emotional and physical symptoms for many years after the event has concluded. And, just like a splinter, it can fester deep under you skin. Unless properly treated, a person will never properly heal from the piece left deep under the skin.
Trauma Risk Factors
Risk factors are ways to identify if your life experience make trauma reactions more likely to happen. Risk factors for trauma include:
· The traumatic experience was unexpected.
· The victim has experienced past traumas.
· The experience happened repeatedly, or over a prolonged period of time.
· The trauma occurred during childhood.
· Feeling of helplessness during the experience. The victim is dealing with other major stressors, unrelated to the trauma
~Please note that in this description, the word “victim” only denotes that something happened to you, not that you are “playing the victim.”
Symptoms of Trauma
· Avoidance of trauma reminders; including memories, people, and places
· Exaggerated startle response/easily surprised
· Irritability, anger, and other negative emotions
· Flashbacks (or re-living) to the traumatic event
· Distressing dreams and other sleep problems
· Self-blame regarding the traumatic event
Treatment: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT)
The focus of TF-CBT is to get out the deepest part of the splinter, which can fester if not taken out. It helps to develop coping strategies for the person who experienced the event(s) and reduce the negative emotion that comes with thinking about the trauma. A person participating in TF-CBT can expect a short term (8-25 sessions) structured intervention program adapted to their needs. It includes education around the connection between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. From there, cognitive and emotional coping skills are taught. This is to help in the narrative process which allows a person to go through the story of the trauma in a way which allows you to experience the feelings, but also gain a better understanding of how this experience has affected them. The practice to ‘dig out’ the splinter can be difficult, but with the assistance of your trained counselor, you can then begin the complete healing that comes without the burden of the trauma under your skin.
After Trauma Work is Done
Since no one can get rid of memories, how will trauma work help you if you still remember everything that has happened to you? Well, it can relieve you of the pain connected to that deep wound and even when you remember the pain you experienced, you will not have to feel it every time you look at the scar.
If you know someone who could be affected by a traumatic experience, please bring up the usefulness of using therapy to see how that experience affected who they have become and how much they suffer. We at Where You Are Counseling would love to work you through to the other side.
Written by Hollie O’Keefe, founder of Where You Are Counseling- online therapy