Did you know that 6% of the American population suffers from some form of trauma? Going through a traumatic accident can have a significant impact on your life. Trauma can display itself physically, mentally, and emotionally, leaving many people wondering what they’re experiencing.
If you’ve been involved in a traumatic incident, it can help to understand what trauma is and how it can affect your life. Take a look t everything you need to know about how trauma reveals itself and what you can do to manage it.
What is Trauma?
Trauma can come as a result of any type of distressing event. Trauma usually affects the way a person copes and functions in everyday life. Most people experience at least one traumatic event during their lifetime.
It can range from anything like a car accident to the death of a loved one or witnessing a distressing event. For example, many soldiers come back from war with trauma after being injured or witnessing someone else being injured. Trauma, commonly known as PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), can display itself as physical, emotional, and mental symptoms.
Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma can present many different symptoms and not everyone will have the same experience of trauma. Here are some of the symptoms someone with PTSD might experience.
Intrusive thoughts
Someone with trauma may get easily triggered by certain things that cause them to experience memories of the traumatic event. For instance, a person, place, or image could trigger a memory or uncomfortable feeling. Even if someone suffering from trauma manages to block out those thoughts in the moment, they can evolve into nightmares while sleeping.
Hypervigilance
It’s common for someone who has experienced a traumatic event to be hyper-aware of their surroundings. This is both a physical and mental symptom that can follow initial shock. The brain convinces the body to go into a self-protective mode, even in familiar surroundings.
Fear and Anxiety
Fear and anxiety can develop as a result of thinking that a threat is imminent at any time. When someone convinces themselves of this because of the trauma they’ve been through, it’s only natural that their body would find it difficult to relax. Fear and anxiety become part of the daily routine so that the victim can protect themselves from future trauma.
Feeling Unsafe
Understandably, anyone that has been through trauma would feel unsafe. The security and safety that were once felt have been destroyed because of the traumatic incident and it takes time and effort to restore emotional stability. With that said, many people who suffer from the effects of trauma will feel like there is danger constantly looming.
All of these symptoms may be displayed in behavior such as, losing interest in socializing and hobbies, avoiding certain situations, and trying to cope with alcohol or drugs.
Treating Trauma
It is vital for a person experiencing trauma symptoms or PTSD to get the help they need. Without help, trauma can develop into much bigger problems. The first step to take is to talk about it with loved ones and a doctor so the people who know you best can better understand what you’re going through.
If you’re a physician, you must get disability insurance for doctors to cover yourself in the event of a traumatic accident. Patients will need to describe their symptoms after the accident so you can prescribe medical intervention and refer them to therapists that can help physically and mentally.
Psychotherapy is often used when treating trauma. It uses cognitive behavioral therapy that tackles negative ways of thinking and replaces them with more realistic thoughts. In conjunction with medications like anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs, the whole system works to hit the symptoms of trauma head-on.
How to Cope After Trauma
After experiencing trauma, it may feel like the day-to-day can be a struggle. Depending on the severity of symptoms that are felt by the person suffering, trauma can be very difficult to cope with. The best place to start is by allowing yourself to feel what you’re feeling.
Trying to push your feelings away or pretend you’re not feeling anything will only make it worse. It’s important to validate your feelings, even when you don’t want to talk about them. Finding a support group is a great way to start healing.
Spending time with specialists and people who have been through similar events via an online forum is ideal for understanding what you’re going through. You should give yourself time to get through your ordeal and look after yourself physically and mentally. When you can, spend time with people who are healthy to be around; people who encourage your journey towards recovery.
If you find that it helps, develop a routine that makes you feel more secure. Getting up at the same time and going to bed at the same time every day can help.
Getting Over a Traumatic Accident
Life after a traumatic accident can be tough to figure out. Even after you get the help you need, you can’t expect miracles overnight. Getting through trauma is a process that can take many years before results begin to show.
If you’re someone who has been through a traumatic event, it’s important to address the symptoms you’re experiencing. Just taking the first step on your road to recovery will be a huge achievement. Schedule an appointment with your doctor today to get the process started.
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