Trauma

On any given day, a person will have a mix of pleasant and unpleasant experiences. When a person experiences an event that leads them to feel threatened, anxious, or frightened, that negative experience can lead to trauma.

Trauma is the normal emotional response that a person has to a distressing event, but this response can affect a person’s sense of well-being and some of its effects can begin interfering with their day-to-day life and functioning.

To deal with the dysfunction and stress that trauma can induce, a person may need help to restore their sense of equilibrium, well-being, and peace. Some traumas can be classified as psychological, while other trauma is emotional or physical trauma, and it can occur after a single incident or develop after multiple incidents.

Trauma can be caused by a variety of experiences. The trauma can be caused by a one-off event or through a series of events that a person either experiences themselves or is exposed to those that experienced them.

Some examples of distressing events that can cause trauma include:

• being caught up in a war, either as a combatant or a civilian
• experiencing the loss of a loved one through an event such as the death of a family member, friend, spouse, child, or pet
• sexual abuse, whether experienced as a child or an adult
• going through a difficult divorce
• living through a natural disaster like an earthquake, hurricane, flooding,or wildfire
• having your life threatened, for example in a mugging or home invasion
• being bullied, whether online or in-person
• experiencing a serious, life-threateningillness
• witnessing someone’s death
• intimate partner violence or domestic violence and abuse
• witnessing or being caught up in a terrorist attack
• going through a difficult childbirth experience
• being subjected to rape or another form of sexual assault
• parental abandonment and neglect

Trauma can also be experienced vicariously; that is, through the experience of others. A person witnessing these events or simply hearing about them can themselves be traumatized – you don’t have to be going through them yourself for trauma to occur. People who are in the caring professions as well as others that are exposed regularly to the trauma of others may also develop trauma related to it. Therapists, lawyers, police officers, first responders, social workers, and others can become traumatized in this way.

Shortly after the traumatic event, shock and denial are typical responses that help to protect the person from the emotional impact of their experience. Also typical at this early stage are feelings of numbness or detachment. Trauma has the potential to affect every aspect of a person’s being, including their physical, mental,and emotional health.

This impact can, in some instances, be felt immediately after the traumatic event, but some other effects can linger for many years. Because trauma can affect our bodies and overall health, it can make a person more vulnerable to developing physical health problems including chronic illnesses, and it can exacerbate existing health conditions.

Some common responses to and effects of trauma may include:

• flashbacks
• disrupted sleep patterns, whether it’s feeling unsafe and being afraid of having nightmares, sleeping too much, or having insomnia
• changes in appetite, whether eating too much or too little
• intense, debilitating fear of the recurrence of the traumatic event
• dramatic mood swings and feeling irritable and angry
• developing a sensitivity to loud noises
• an inability to concentrate
• physical symptoms of stress like nausea, chest pain, or headaches
• mental health concerns such as anxiety, PTSD, or depression
• feeling disconnected from loved ones and withdrawing from day-to-day activities that used to bring joy

In addition to the various health problems it creates, trauma can make getting on with life difficult, including taking care of oneself, holding down a steady job, building and maintaining relationships, or managing the typical transitions and changes that are part of everyday life.

The impact of trauma can be wide-ranging, but thankfully there are means available to help process the event itself and the ensuing effects of the trauma. First, to move forward you need to acknowledge that you’ve gone through a traumatic event and accept that your emotions may be affected by it. You can begin dealing with the effects of trauma by:

• Reducing stress and sustaining healthy routines including regular exercise, eating healthy food, and sleeping well, where possible.Routine reduces the need for making decisions, and it can help you retain a sense of control over your life. Exercise also helps with reducing stress and elevating your mood through the release of neurochemicals such as serotonin.
• Asking your loved ones–the people in your family, your spiritual community, or your close friends–for support, because your relationships help to ground and connect you to others, and they are an important aspect of your journey towards healing.
• Going for therapy to address trauma and its emotional and psychological effects. A licensed mental health care professional like a psychiatrist or psychologist can tend to your emotional and mental health needs.

Regarding therapy, a therapeutic technique that may be helpful as a part of a treatment plan is Somatic Experiencing, which is attentive to how we react to emotional and physical trauma and works with our body’s natural ability to heal itself through reactions to stress such as crying.

Other therapies include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Psychodynamic Therapy. CBT is a form of talk therapy that helps you identify and manage harmful patterns of thought and behavior, substituting them with healthy thoughts and behaviors. Psychodynamic Therapy provides you with tools and space to express your feelings in a safe space.

In addition to therapy, your doctor may prescribe medication such as anti-depressants and anxiety medication to address depression or anxiety.

After a traumatic event, you need to give yourself time and room to process what has happened and begin your journey toward healing. Your path to wholeness and restoration won’t look the same as another person’s journey, so it is important to do what is appropriate and helpful for you to walk in God’s promises of peace and joy.

Dealing with the emotional and mental effects of trauma sooner instead of later can fend off more serious developments down the road such as clinical depression, and that is one reason going for therapy is important. As with other therapists, a Christian counselor will be highly trained and equipped with a variety of techniques for effective trauma-focused therapy, whether for you or for your loved one who needs therapy.

As an association of Christian counselors, Orange County Christian counseling aims to provide compassionate support to help restore your sense of peace, well-being, joy, and full, Christ-centered life. You can find peace. Your counselor will listen to your story and work with you to develop a unique treatment plan that meets you or your loved one’s specific needs for trauma recovery.

Together, you can work through the painful memories, thoughts,and emotions you’ve experienced using spiritual resources such as Scripture and prayer along with evidence-based therapeutic techniques for trauma-focused counseling. You don’t have to walk alone. You can start your journey towards healing today by contacting one of the counselors in the directory for an appointment to begin dealing with the trauma in your life.