Last updated on August 22nd, 2024 at 12:15 am

• Understanding Psychological Trauma
• The Layers of Trauma
• Common Signs of Psychological Trauma
• How Trauma Changes Your Brain
• Trauma Makes Your Amygdala Overactive
• Trauma Hurts Your Prefrontal Cortex
• Trauma Makes It Hard to Control Your Mood
• Trauma Messes With Your Stress Response System
• Trauma Makes It Harder to Learn and Remember Things
• How Trauma Affects Your Body
• Trauma Sets Off Your “Danger Alarm”
• Trauma Can Lead to Anxiety Problems
• Trauma Causes Inflammation in Your Body
• Trauma is Bad for Your Heart
• Trauma Hurts Your Lungs and Other Organs
• Trauma Increases Oxidative Stress
• Trauma Makes Your Cells Age Faster
• Trauma Raises Your Risk of Getting Sick Later in Life
• The Deep Impact of Psychological Trauma on Your Mental Health
• Feeling Scared and Worried All the Time
• Memories That Won’t Go Away
• Trying to Avoid Reminders of the Trauma
• Feeling Bad About Yourself
• Having Trouble with Relationships
• Physical Signs of Psychological Trauma
• Ongoing Pain and Tension
• Sleep Problems
• Always Feeling Tired
• Changes in Appetite
• The Big Impact of Childhood Trauma
• Mental Health Problems
• Physical Health Issues
• Trouble with Relationships
• Learning and Thinking Problems
• Passing Trauma Down to the Next Generation
• How to Help Someone Who’s Been Through Trauma
• Learn About Trauma
• Be a Good Listener
• Believe Them
• Be Patient
• Respect Their Boundaries
• Offer Practical Help
• Encourage Professional Help
• Take Care of Yourself Too
• Healing from Trauma: Steps You Can Take
• Acknowledge What Happened
• Seek Professional Help
• Practice Self-Care
• Try Relaxation Techniques
• Connect with Others
• Express Your Feelings
• Be Patient with Yourself
• Rebuild Your Sense of Self
• Consider Medication
• Stay Hopeful
• Building a Stronger Future: Growing After Trauma
• Finding Inner Strength
• Appreciating Life More
• Changing Priorities
• Developing Deeper Relationships
• Finding New Meaning
• Becoming More Compassionate
• Learning New Coping Skills
• Spiritual Growth
• Resources for More Help and Information
• Online Communities
• Helplines and Crisis Hotlines
• Books About Trauma
• Websites with Trustworthy Information
• Therapy and Counseling
• Support Groups
• Self-Help Apps
• Educational Videos
• Conclusion: There’s Hope After Trauma

Have you ever felt stuck after something really bad happened to you? Like you just can’t shake off the awful memories? Psychological trauma is way more than just feeling sad or upset. It can mess with your whole life and make it hard to feel okay again.

When something terrible happens, it can leave a deep hurt in your heart and mind. But trauma does more than just make you feel bad emotionally. New research shows it actually changes how your brain works in ways that can cause problems for a long time if you don’t get help.

From the moment something traumatic happens, it sets off a flood of stress hormones in your body. While these hormones help you react in the moment, having too much of them for too long can hurt your brain and body. Even the white matter in your brain that helps different parts communicate can get damaged. This can lead to things like anxiety, trouble sleeping, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” – Laurell K. Hamilton

Trauma doesn’t just affect your brain – it can hurt your whole body too. The stress can strain organs like your heart and lungs. It can make your cells age faster. And if bad things happened when you were a kid, you might be more likely to get sick when you’re older. That’s why getting help for trauma needs to focus on both your emotions and your physical health.

Understanding Psychological Trauma

Psychological trauma is complicated. It affects many parts of your life – how you think, feel, act, and even your physical health. It’s more than just feeling upset.

“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” – Fred Rogers

Trauma happens when something really bad or scary happens that’s too much for you to handle. It could be things like:

• Being hurt physically or sexually
• Living through a natural disaster
• Being in combat
• Having a bad accident
• Seeing violence happen

These kinds of experiences can make you feel unsafe and shake up your whole world. They leave a lasting mark on your mind and heart.

The Layers of Trauma

Trauma affects you on many levels:

• How you think
• How you feel
• How your body reacts

It messes with how your brain handles stress. This can change how you see things and react to stuff that happens later on. To really understand how big an impact trauma has, we need to look at all these different layers.

Common Signs of Psychological Trauma

Trauma can show up in different ways for different people. It depends on the person and what kind of trauma they went through. Some common signs are:

• Having thoughts or flashbacks you can’t control
• Feeling really scared or worried all the time
• Avoiding things that remind you of what happened
• Having bad dreams
• Having trouble focusing
• Always feeling on edge, like something bad might happen
• Feeling numb or disconnected from other people

How Trauma Changes Your Brain

Trauma Makes Your Amygdala Overactive

The amygdala is a part of your brain that deals with fear and danger. When you go through trauma, it can make your amygdala get too jumpy. This means it might react strongly to things that aren’t really dangerous.

Because of this, people who have been through trauma might:

• Feel scared or anxious a lot
• Have panic attacks often
• Always feel like they’re in danger, even when they’re safe

It can be hard for them to tell the difference between real threats and things that just seem scary. This keeps them feeling stressed out all the time.

Trauma also messes with how different parts of your brain talk to each other. The amygdala is connected to other important parts like the prefrontal cortex (which helps you think clearly) and the hippocampus (which deals with memories). When these connections get messed up, it can make it even harder to deal with your emotions and memories.

Trauma Hurts Your Prefrontal Cortex

The prefrontal cortex is the part of your brain right behind your forehead. It helps you:

• Think clearly
• Make good choices
• Control your impulses

When you go through trauma, it can actually make this part of your brain smaller. This can cause all kinds of problems:

• It’s harder to make smart decisions. You might do risky things without thinking them through.
• It’s tougher to control your impulses. You might act without thinking and do things you regret later.
• You might have trouble paying attention or planning things out.

All of these issues can make it hard to do well at work or school, or to have good relationships with people.

“Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different.” – Oprah Winfrey

Trauma Makes It Hard to Control Your Mood

Trauma can really mess with your emotions. Remember how we talked about the prefrontal cortex? Well, it also helps keep your emotions in check. When trauma hurts this part of your brain, it gets harder to handle your feelings.

Normally, your prefrontal cortex helps calm down strong emotions so they don’t get out of control. But when you’ve been through trauma, this doesn’t work as well. You might:

• Have big mood swings
• Feel irritable or angry a lot
• Have trouble calming down when you get upset

This can make it really hard to get along with other people or keep healthy relationships.

Trauma also messes with the chemicals in your brain that affect your mood. Things like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine help control how you feel. But trauma can throw these chemicals out of whack, which can lead to:

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Anxiety

Trauma Messes With Your Stress Response System

Your body has a system for dealing with stress called the HPA axis. It involves your hypothalamus, pituitary gland, and adrenal glands. When you go through trauma, it can make this system go haywire.

This means your body might keep pumping out stress hormones like cortisol even when you’re not in danger. Having too much of these hormones for a long time can cause all sorts of problems:

• Trouble sleeping
• Feeling irritable all the time
• Hard time focusing or concentrating

Trauma Makes It Harder to Learn and Remember Things

Trauma can also make it tough to learn new things and hang onto memories. There’s a part of your brain called the hippocampus that’s super important for making and storing memories. Trauma can actually make this part of your brain smaller and not work as well.

When you’ve been through trauma, you might have trouble:

• Making new memories
• Remembering things that happened
• Putting memories together in a way that makes sense

Instead of having clear memories, you might have flashbacks or bits and pieces that don’t fit together right. This can make it hard to do well in school, remember important stuff at work, or even keep track of conversations with friends and family.

“The conflict between the will to deny horrible events and the will to proclaim them aloud is the central dialectic of psychological trauma.” – Judith Lewis Herman

How Trauma Affects Your Body

Trauma Sets Off Your “Danger Alarm”

When you go through something traumatic, it turns on your body’s natural “danger alarm” system. This is also called the fight-or-flight response. It’s meant to help you survive when you’re in real danger by getting your body ready to either fight or run away.

During a scary event, a part of your brain called the amygdala spots the danger and sends out an alarm. This makes your body release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones do things like:

• Make your heart beat faster
• Raise your blood pressure
• Boost your energy and focus

This response is super helpful when you’re actually in danger. But if you’ve been through trauma, your body might keep sounding the alarm even when you’re safe. If this keeps happening for a long time, it can really wear you out and cause health problems.

One big issue is that people who’ve been through trauma might react really strongly to things that remind them of what happened. Their “danger alarm” might go off for stuff that isn’t actually dangerous, like:

• Certain sounds or smells
• Being in crowds
• Seeing something on TV that’s similar to their trauma

This can make them feel scared and anxious all the time, even when nothing bad is happening.

“We cannot have a world where everyone is a victim. ‘I’m this way because my father made me this way. I’m this way because my husband made me this way.’ Yes, we are indeed formed by traumas that happen to us. But then you must take charge, you must take over, you are responsible.” – Camille Paglia

Trauma Can Lead to Anxiety Problems

Going through trauma often leads to anxiety disorders. These are mental health problems where you feel really scared or worried all the time. It can really mess up your daily life and make it hard to be happy.

When you go through something really scary or upsetting, it can leave you feeling afraid and unsure all the time. Your brain gets stuck in “danger mode,” always on the lookout for threats. This can show up as:

• Feeling restless or on edge all the time
• Being irritable
• Having a constant sense of dread, like something bad is about to happen

One common anxiety problem that comes from trauma is post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). With PTSD, you keep having upsetting memories or flashbacks of the trauma. You might have nightmares or feel really upset when something reminds you of what happened.

People with PTSD often try to avoid anything that reminds them of their trauma. This might mean:

• Not going to certain places
• Avoiding certain people
• Not watching certain TV shows or movies

For example, someone who was in a bad car crash might be too scared to drive or even ride in a car.

Another anxiety problem that can come from trauma is generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). With GAD, you worry way too much about all kinds of things in your life. These worries are often not realistic and are hard to control. You might constantly worry about:

• Your job
• Your relationships
• Your health
• Money
• Safety

“Trauma is personal. It does not disappear if it is not validated. When it is ignored or invalidated the silent screams continue internally heard only by the one held captive. When someone enters the pain and hears the screams healing can begin.” – Danielle Bernock

Trauma Causes Inflammation in Your Body

Trauma doesn’t just affect your mind – it can actually cause physical changes in your body too. One big way it does this is by causing inflammation.

When you go through trauma, whether it’s one really bad event or ongoing stress, your body’s immune system kicks into high gear. It starts releasing these things called pro-inflammatory cytokines. These are like little messengers that tell your body to start an inflammatory response.

A little bit of inflammation is actually good – it helps your body heal when you’re hurt or sick. But when trauma causes long-term inflammation, it can lead to all sorts of health problems:

• It can weaken your immune system, making it harder for you to fight off infections and recover from illnesses.
• It might lead to chronic pain conditions like fibromyalgia.
• It can mess with the chemicals in your brain that control your mood, which might lead to depression or anxiety.

So trauma doesn’t just hurt your emotions – it can actually make your whole body less healthy over time.

Trauma is Bad for Your Heart

Trauma can also take a toll on your heart health. When you go through something really stressful or scary, it sets off your body’s stress response system. This makes your body release stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.

In the short term, these hormones help you deal with danger. They make your heart beat faster and raise your blood pressure to get you ready for action. But if trauma keeps triggering this response over and over, it can lead to serious heart problems:

• You might develop high blood pressure (hypertension), which puts extra strain on your heart.
• It can contribute to the buildup of plaque in your arteries (atherosclerosis). This narrows your blood vessels and makes it harder for blood to flow.
• These issues raise your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

Trauma can also affect your heart health indirectly by changing your behavior. People who’ve been through trauma might:

• Start smoking to cope with stress
• Drink too much alcohol
• Eat unhealthy foods
• Stop exercising

All of these habits are bad for your heart too.

Living with heart problems caused by trauma can be really stressful. You might worry all the time about having a heart attack or other health issues. This anxiety can make your overall quality of life much worse.

“Over time as most people fail the survivor’s exacting test of trustworthiness, she tends to withdraw from relationships. The isolation of the survivor thus persists even after she is free.” – Judith Lewis Herman

Trauma Hurts Your Lungs and Other Organs

Trauma doesn’t just affect your heart – it can harm your lungs and other organs too. When you go through something really stressful or scary, it changes how your whole body works.

One big change is in your breathing. When you’re stressed, you might start breathing faster and more shallowly. This is part of the “fight or flight” response that gets your body ready for danger. But if trauma keeps triggering this response, it can strain your lungs over time.

Fast, shallow breathing (hyperventilation) can mess up the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in your blood. This can make you feel:

• Dizzy
• Short of breath
• More anxious

Trauma can affect other parts of your body too:

• It might mess with your digestive system, causing stomachaches or other gut problems.
• It can disrupt your reproductive system. Women might have irregular periods, and both men and women might have fertility issues.
• It can weaken your immune system, making it harder for your body to fight off infections and illnesses.

“God wants you to be delivered from what you have done and from what has been done to you – Both are equally important to Him.” – Joyce Meyer

Trauma Increases Oxidative Stress

Trauma can also lead to something called oxidative stress in your body. This happens when there’s an imbalance between two types of molecules in your cells:

1. Free radicals: These are unstable molecules that can damage your cells.
2. Antioxidants: These are molecules that protect your cells from free radicals.

Normally, your body keeps these two in balance. But trauma can throw this off by:

• Making your body produce too many free radicals
• Reducing your body’s ability to make antioxidants

When this happens, the free radicals can cause a lot of damage to your cells and tissues. This oxidative stress has been linked to all sorts of health problems:

• It might play a role in mental health issues like depression and anxiety.
• It can damage the cells in your brain, which might affect your mood and how well you can think.
• It can hurt your blood vessels, which might lead to high blood pressure and poor blood flow.
• It can cause inflammation in your lungs, which might lead to breathing problems like asthma.

So trauma doesn’t just hurt your feelings – it can actually damage your cells and make your whole body less healthy.

“Unlike other forms of psychological disorders, the core issue in trauma is reality.” – Bessel A. van der Kolk

Trauma Makes Your Cells Age Faster

Believe it or not, going through trauma can actually make your body age faster at a cellular level. This means the tiny parts of your body – your cells – start to wear out more quickly than they should.

When you experience trauma, whether it’s one big event or ongoing stress, it sets off a chain reaction in your body. One key way this happens is through something called telomere shortening.

Telomeres are like little protective caps on the ends of your chromosomes (the structures that hold your DNA). They help keep your DNA safe and stable. But every time a cell divides, these telomeres get a little bit shorter. When they get too short, the cell can’t divide anymore and it dies.

Studies have found that people who’ve been through trauma often have shorter telomeres than people who haven’t. This is a sign that their cells are aging faster. Shorter telomeres have been linked to a higher risk of age-related diseases.

“After all, when a stone is dropped into a pond, the water continues quivering even after the stone has sunk to the bottom.” – Arthur Golden

Trauma also increases oxidative stress in your body, which we talked about earlier. This extra damage from free radicals can speed up cellular aging even more.

All of this cellular aging can have real effects on your health:

• You might be more likely to get sick
• Your body might not heal as quickly
• You could be at higher risk for age-related diseases like heart disease or diabetes

It’s important to remember that while trauma can have these effects, getting help and support can make a big difference. Taking care of your mental and physical health can help slow down this cellular aging process.

Trauma Raises Your Risk of Getting Sick Later in Life

Going through trauma, especially when you’re young, can make you more likely to get sick when you’re older. This is because trauma doesn’t just affect you in the moment – it can change your body in ways that last for years.

Studies have shown that people who went through really tough times as kids (called Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACEs) are more likely to have health problems as adults. These can include:

• Heart disease
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune disorders like rheumatoid arthritis

Trauma can also affect your mental health in the long run. People who’ve been through trauma are more likely to develop:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Depression
• Anxiety disorders
• Substance abuse problems

Trauma can even affect your brain in ways that might make you more likely to get diseases like Alzheimer’s when you’re older.

It’s scary to think about, but knowing this can help us understand why it’s so important to get help after going through trauma. Taking care of your mental health now can help protect your physical health in the future.

The Deep Impact of Psychological Trauma on Your Mental Health

Psychological trauma doesn’t just hurt for a little while – it can change the way your whole mind works. Let’s look at some of the big ways it can affect your mental health:

Feeling Scared and Worried All the Time

After going through something really scary or upsetting, many people find themselves feeling anxious all the time. It’s like their mind is stuck in “danger mode.” This can look like:

• Always feeling on edge, like something bad might happen
• Having trouble concentrating because you’re always looking out for threats
• Not being able to relax or sleep well

This constant fear and worry can make it hard to do normal, everyday things. It can affect your work, your relationships, and your ability to enjoy life.

Memories That Won’t Go Away

One of the toughest parts of trauma is dealing with memories that keep popping up when you don’t want them to. These are called intrusive memories or flashbacks. They can feel so real that it’s like you’re going through the traumatic event all over again.

These memories might be triggered by:

• Certain sights, sounds, or smells that remind you of the trauma
• Specific dates or times of year
• Seeing something on TV or in a movie that’s similar to what you went through

Dealing with these memories can be exhausting and scary. It can make you feel like you’re not in control of your own mind.

Trying to Avoid Reminders of the Trauma

When you’ve been through something really awful, it’s natural to want to avoid anything that reminds you of it. This is called avoidance, and it’s a common reaction to trauma. You might:

• Stop going to certain places
• Avoid certain people
• Not want to talk about what happened
• Try to push away thoughts or feelings about the trauma

While avoiding these triggers might make you feel better in the short term, it can actually make things worse over time. It can limit your life and keep you from doing things you enjoy or need to do.

Feeling Bad About Yourself

Trauma can really mess with how you see yourself. Many people who’ve been through trauma end up feeling:

• Ashamed, like what happened was somehow their fault
• Guilty, even if they didn’t do anything wrong
• Worthless or not good enough

These negative feelings about yourself can lead to depression and make it hard to have healthy relationships with other people.

Having Trouble with Relationships

Trauma can make it really hard to connect with other people. You might:

• Find it hard to trust others
• Feel numb or disconnected from your feelings
• Have trouble expressing yourself or talking about how you feel

This can strain your relationships with family, friends, and romantic partners. You might find yourself pulling away from people or having more conflicts than you used to.

“It was only high school after all, definitely one of the most bizarre periods in a person’s life. How anyone can come through that time well adjusted on any level is an absolute miracle.” – E.A. Bucchianeri

Physical Signs of Psychological Trauma

Trauma doesn’t just affect your mind – it can show up in your body too. Here are some ways trauma can physically affect you:

Ongoing Pain and Tension

Many people who’ve been through trauma find that their bodies hold onto stress. This can show up as:

• Headaches that won’t go away
• Back pain or other muscle aches
• Stomach problems like nausea or diarrhea

These physical symptoms can be really frustrating, especially when doctors can’t find a clear medical reason for them.

Sleep Problems

Trauma can really mess with your sleep. You might:

• Have trouble falling asleep because your mind won’t quiet down
• Wake up a lot during the night
• Have nightmares about what happened

Not getting enough good sleep can affect your mood, your ability to think clearly, and your overall health.

Always Feeling Tired

Going through trauma can leave you feeling exhausted all the time. This isn’t just being a little sleepy – it’s a deep, overwhelming tiredness that doesn’t go away even when you rest. This fatigue can make it hard to:

• Do your job or schoolwork
• Take care of your home and family
• Enjoy hobbies or social activities

Changes in Appetite

Some people find that trauma changes how they eat. You might:

• Lose your appetite and not want to eat much at all
• Start overeating to cope with your feelings
• Crave certain foods, especially sugary or fatty “comfort foods”

These changes in eating habits can lead to weight loss or gain, which can further affect your health and how you feel about yourself.

The Big Impact of Childhood Trauma

When really bad things happen to you as a kid, it can affect your whole life. This is called childhood trauma, and it can change how you think, feel, and act even when you’re all grown up.

Mental Health Problems

Kids who go through trauma are more likely to have mental health issues later in life. They might develop:

• Anxiety disorders
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

These problems can make it hard to feel happy and do well in school, work, and relationships.

Physical Health Issues

Childhood trauma doesn’t just hurt your feelings – it can make your body sick too. Studies show that people who had really tough childhoods are more likely to have health problems as adults, like:

• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Autoimmune disorders

This is because the stress from trauma can change how your body works, even down to your cells.

Trouble with Relationships

Kids who go through trauma might have a hard time with relationships when they grow up. They might:

• Find it hard to trust people
• Have trouble showing their feelings
• Get into unhealthy or abusive relationships

This can make it tough to make friends, have good romantic relationships, or even get along with family.

Learning and Thinking Problems

Trauma can affect how kids’ brains develop. This can lead to:

• Trouble paying attention in school
• Problems with memory
• Difficulty solving problems or making decisions

These issues can make it hard to do well in school and later in jobs.

Passing Trauma Down to the Next Generation

One of the saddest things about childhood trauma is that it can affect the next generation too. Parents who went through trauma as kids might:

• Have a hard time bonding with their own children
• Not know how to handle stress or big emotions
• Pass on unhealthy ways of coping

This can create a cycle where trauma gets passed down from parents to kids.

“The greater a child’s terror, and the earlier it is experienced, the harder it becomes to develop a strong and healthy sense of self.” – Nathaniel Branden

How to Help Someone Who’s Been Through Trauma

If someone you care about has been through something really awful, you might wonder how you can help. Here are some ways to support them:

Learn About Trauma

Take some time to learn about trauma and how it affects people. This can help you understand what your loved one is going through and why they might act in certain ways.

Be a Good Listener

One of the best things you can do is just listen. Let your loved one talk about their feelings without judging them or trying to fix everything. Sometimes people just need to know someone cares and is willing to hear them out.

Believe Them

If someone tells you about trauma they’ve been through, believe them. Don’t try to downplay what happened or suggest it wasn’t that bad. Let them know that their feelings are valid and that what happened to them matters.

Be Patient

Healing from trauma takes time, and everyone’s journey is different. Don’t push your loved one to “get over it” or expect them to be back to normal right away. Be patient and understanding as they work through their feelings.

Respect Their Boundaries

People who’ve been through trauma might need extra space sometimes. They might not want to talk about what happened or might need to avoid certain places or situations. Respect these boundaries and don’t try to force them to do things they’re not comfortable with.

Offer Practical Help

Trauma can make everyday tasks feel overwhelming. Offer to help with things like:

• Running errands
• Making meals
• Taking care of kids or pets
• Doing household chores

This practical support can make a big difference when someone is struggling.

Encourage Professional Help

While your support is important, sometimes people need professional help to deal with trauma. Encourage your loved one to talk to a therapist or counselor who specializes in trauma. Offer to help them find a good therapist or even go with them to appointments if they want.

Take Care of Yourself Too

Supporting someone who’s been through trauma can be emotionally draining. Make sure you’re taking care of your own mental health too. It’s okay to set boundaries and take breaks when you need them.

Healing from Trauma: Steps You Can Take

Healing from trauma isn’t easy, but it is possible. Here are some steps you can take to start your healing journey:

Acknowledge What Happened

The first step in healing is to acknowledge that you went through something really tough. It’s okay to admit that you’re struggling and that what happened to you wasn’t okay.

Seek Professional Help

Talking to a therapist who specializes in trauma can be really helpful. They can teach you coping skills and help you work through your feelings in a safe environment.

Practice Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is super important when you’re healing from trauma. This can include:

• Getting enough sleep
• Eating healthy foods
• Exercising regularly
• Doing things you enjoy

Try Relaxation Techniques

Learning ways to relax your body and mind can help manage the stress that comes with trauma. You might try:

• Deep breathing exercises
• Meditation
• Yoga
• Progressive muscle relaxation

Connect with Others

While it might be tempting to isolate yourself, connecting with others can be really healing. This could mean:

• Talking to friends or family you trust
• Joining a support group for trauma survivors
• Volunteering or getting involved in your community

Express Your Feelings

Finding healthy ways to express your feelings can help you process what happened. You might try:

• Writing in a journal
• Creating art
• Making music
• Dancing or movement

Be Patient with Yourself

Healing takes time, and it’s not always a straight line. There will be good days and bad days. Be patient with yourself and celebrate small victories along the way.

Rebuild Your Sense of Self

Trauma can shake up how you see yourself. Part of healing is rebuilding a positive sense of who you are. This might involve:

• Identifying your strengths and values
• Setting and working towards personal goals
• Practicing self-compassion

Consider Medication

For some people, medication can be helpful in managing symptoms like anxiety or depression that often come with trauma. Talk to a doctor or psychiatrist about whether this might be a good option for you.

Stay Hopeful

Remember that healing is possible. Many people who’ve been through trauma go on to live happy, fulfilling lives. Hold onto hope, even on the tough days.

“PTSD is a whole-body tragedy, an integral human event of enormous proportions with massive repercussions.” – Susan Pease Banitt

Building a Stronger Future: Growing After Trauma

Even though trauma is really tough, some people find that they actually grow in positive ways after going through it. This is called post-traumatic growth. Here’s how you might become stronger after trauma:

Finding Inner Strength

Going through something really hard can show you how strong you really are. You might discover that you’re tougher and more resilient than you ever knew.

Appreciating Life More

After trauma, many people find they appreciate the little things in life more. They might feel more grateful for their relationships, their health, or simple everyday joys.

Changing Priorities

Trauma can make you rethink what’s really important in life. You might find yourself focusing more on meaningful relationships and personal growth, and less on things that don’t really matter.

Developing Deeper Relationships

While trauma can make relationships hard, it can also lead to deeper, more meaningful connections. You might find that you’re more open and honest with the people you trust.

Finding New Meaning

Some people find that going through trauma leads them to discover a new sense of purpose in life. They might become passionate about helping others or fighting for causes they care about.

Becoming More Compassionate

Having been through tough times yourself can make you more understanding of other people’s struggles. Many trauma survivors become more empathetic and compassionate.

Learning New Coping Skills

Dealing with trauma often means learning new ways to cope with stress and difficult emotions. These skills can help you be more resilient in facing future challenges.

Spiritual Growth

For some people, trauma leads to spiritual growth or a deeper connection with their faith or beliefs about the world.

Remember, post-traumatic growth doesn’t mean that the trauma wasn’t bad or that you don’t still struggle sometimes. It’s possible to both heal from the pain of trauma and grow in positive ways because of what you’ve been through.

“Beneath the surface of the protective parts of trauma survivors there exists an undamaged essence, a Self that is confident, curious, and calm, a Self that has been sheltered from destruction by the various protectors that have emerged in their efforts to ensure survival. Once those protectors trust that it is safe to separate, the Self will spontaneously emerge, and the parts can be enlisted in the healing process” – Bessel A. van der Kolk

Resources for More Help and Information

If you or someone you know is dealing with trauma, there are lots of places to get more help and information:

Online Communities

There are online groups where people who’ve been through trauma can connect and support each other. These can be really helpful, especially if it’s hard for you to get to in-person support groups.

Helplines and Crisis Hotlines

If you’re having a really tough time and need someone to talk to right away, there are hotlines you can call anytime, day or night. Trained people are there to listen and help you through tough moments.

Books About Trauma

There are lots of good books out there about trauma and how to heal from it. Reading about other people’s experiences and learning about trauma can help you feel less alone and give you ideas for your own healing.

Websites with Trustworthy Information

Look for websites from well-known mental health organizations or universities. These often have good, reliable information about trauma and how to get help.

Therapy and Counseling

Talking to a therapist who knows about trauma can be really helpful. They can teach you ways to cope and help you work through your feelings. If you’re not sure how to find a therapist, your doctor might be able to recommend someone.

Support Groups

Many communities have support groups for people who’ve been through trauma. These groups can be a great place to connect with others who understand what you’re going through.

Self-Help Apps

There are apps that can help you practice relaxation techniques, track your moods, or learn about mental health. While these shouldn’t replace professional help, they can be useful tools in your healing journey.

Educational Videos

There are lots of videos online where experts talk about trauma and healing. These can be a good way to learn more if you prefer watching and listening to reading.

Remember, reaching out for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. It’s okay to ask for help when you need it. You don’t have to go through this alone.

Conclusion: There’s Hope After Trauma

Going through trauma is really tough. It can shake up your whole world and leave you feeling lost and scared. But it’s important to remember that healing is possible. Even though the journey might be long and hard, many people find ways to not just survive trauma, but to grow and thrive after it.

Here are some key things to remember:

1. What you’re feeling is normal: The scary thoughts, the nightmares, the mood swings – these are all normal reactions to abnormal events. You’re not crazy or weak for feeling this way.
2. It’s not your fault: No matter what happened, the trauma you experienced is not your fault. You didn’t deserve it, and you didn’t cause it.
3. Healing takes time: There’s no set timeline for healing from trauma. Be patient with yourself and celebrate small steps forward.
4. You’re not alone: Millions of people have gone through trauma and found ways to heal. There are people out there who understand and want to help.
5. Professional help can make a big difference: Talking to a therapist who knows about trauma can really speed up your healing. They can teach you skills to cope with symptoms and work through your feelings.
6. Your brain can heal: Even though trauma can change your brain, your brain also has an amazing ability to heal and adapt. With the right support and care, you can rewire your brain for health and happiness.
7. You can grow from this: Many people find that they actually grow in positive ways after trauma. This doesn’t mean the trauma was good, but it means you can find meaning and strength even in terrible experiences.
8. You still have a future: Trauma can make it feel like your life is over, but it’s not. You still have a future full of possibilities ahead of you.
9. You are strong: The very fact that you’ve survived shows how strong you are. You have the strength within you to heal and build a life you love.
10. There is hope: No matter how dark things seem right now, there is hope. People recover from trauma every day, and you can too.

If you’re struggling with the effects of trauma, don’t be afraid to reach out for help. Talk to a trusted friend, join a support group, or seek professional help. Remember, asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Your trauma doesn’t define you. It’s something that happened to you, but it’s not who you are. You are so much more than the worst thing that’s happened to you. With time, support, and care, you can heal. You can find joy again. You can build a life full of love, meaning, and hope.

The road to healing might not be easy, but it’s worth it. And you’re worth it. Take that first step today. Reach out. Start your healing journey. A brighter future is waiting for you.

Remember, you’ve already survived the worst part. You’ve made it this far. You have the strength to keep going, to heal, and to thrive. Believe in yourself. Your story isn’t over – the best chapters might still be ahead.

“There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds.” – Laurell K. Hamilton

This quote reminds us that even though the wounds of psychological trauma aren’t visible, they’re very real and can hurt deeply. But just like physical wounds can heal, so can these invisible wounds of the heart and mind. With time, care, and support, you can heal and grow stronger than ever before.

Take care of yourself. Be gentle with yourself. And never give up hope. You’ve got this.