Emotional And Psychological Trauma 

What does trauma mean? 

Trauma has a huge effect on your psychological and emotional state. 

It is when a situation or event becomes too much for you to take, causing various negative emotions and thoughts to emerge. 

Unable to forget, unable to move forward. A cycle that can feel unending. 

Healing from a traumatic experience does take time. Depending on how severe your symptoms are, it can range from a few days, a few weeks, or a few months. If your trauma lasts for more than 3 months, you should consider looking into PTSD. 

Signs of Trauma. 

A traumatic event can be distressing, unpleasant, and make you feel vulnerable. 

In most cases, you will be constantly reminded of memories, or emotions you felt during the incident, affecting your mental state. 

Some traumatic experiences can also influence you in physical ways, such as insomnia, or fatigue. 

Your behaviour and attitude may change due to your anxiety, concerns about safety, and trust issues. This may cause you to become withdrawn. These are some basic signs of trauma. 

Some other signs include: 

• Upsetting emotions when reminded of the incident – Especially near the place, or surroundings where the event took place. 
• Avoidance of things related to the trauma – The area where the event took place, the people involved, or getting involved in a similar situation. Thoughts, feelings and items that remind you of your trauma, will similarly be avoided. 

• Partial memory loss – Unable to remember parts of the incident 

• Difficulty dealing with your feelings – Thinking negatively about yourself, others, or everyone. Self-blame, or blaming others. 

Negative emotions: fear, horror, anger, guilt, or shame. Happiness, enjoyment, and affection seem hard to visualise. 

• Startled easily – more sensitive, nervous and uneasy 

• A loss of concentration / focus 

• The body becomes tense – typically an action due to nervousness, or anxiety 

• Memories, Nightmares and Flashbacks – You may dream about the incident, or relive the incident through a vivid / realistic memory (flashback) 

Everyone has different reactions towards trauma, and so the signs may also vary. There are a limitless number of ways to identify trauma, which may not be listed above.

A trauma can develop through: 

• What happened to you 

• What you witnessed – it happened to another person 

• Events that happened to someone you know 

• Repetitive incidents that lead to trauma – E.g., isolation, bullying, etc. It can include any of the listed, but can also include repeated exposure to media, TV, movies, or images. 

Trauma is developed as a result of, but not limited to: 

• The passing of someone close 
• Witnessing a violent death 
• Serious accidents – e.g., car accidents 
• Domestic Violence 
• Verbal, Physical, or Sexual Abuse 
• Neglect 
• Separation – e.g., child-parent separation in divorce 
• Diagnosed with a serious health condition 
• Complicated childbirth 
• War and conflict 
• Terrorist attacks 
• Natural, or man-made disasters – e.g., floods and fires 

Traumatic incidents that are typically overlooked: 

• Surgery 
• The end of a committed relationship – i.e., breaking a relationship you invested your feelings in 
• Humiliating, or disappointing experiences 

Some careers that have higher exposure rates to trauma: 

• Emergency Service Staff – e.g., police, firefighters, and paramedics. 

• Social Workers 

• Military Personnel – e.g., navy, marine, coast guard, air force, etc. 

• Other personnel in war zones – e.g., combat medic / healthcare specialist 

• Intensive Care Staff 

How to Heal from Trauma 

Trauma can be difficult, but it is treatable. We will be discussing the ways to dispel trauma through the listed content below. 

Take Time 

Give yourself time to heal. 

When a traumatic event occurs, you need to give yourself the space to think. Accepting the incident, or learning to deal with it, will go a long way in your recovery. 

If you have lost someone important to you, you will need time to heal from the grief. Learning to keep living your life. 

Trying to look happy will not make you feel happy. 

Allow yourself the time to process the situation, and your mindset will improve in turn. 

Talk 

Talk about the incident. 

Talking about your trauma can be difficult. The memories and emotions they bring about can be suffocating, so most would avoid the subject as much as possible. 

This action just makes your negative thoughts and feelings continue to fester, which does not benefit your emotional and mental state in the slightest. 

In reality, talking about your experience does help you heal your emotional wounds. 

You develop resilience, and so talking about the event becomes easier over time. 

Experience of Others 

You can consider speaking to others who experienced the same, or similar traumatic events; it may help you. 

Every person reacts to trauma differently, so the way they cope also differs. Another thing to note, is that everyone’s recovery rate varies. From slow recover, to fast recovery. 

Supporting others, whose experience is similar, may help you heal. 

Support 

Having some support from family and friends, can make the whole traumatic situation easier on you. 

They can give you the emotional support you need, and are people you can trust and rely on during these times. 

They may suggest activities that will allow you to return to normal routines, and divert your attention from the upsetting things you experienced. 

Limiting Alone Time 

After a traumatic event, spending more time with others can give your mind a break from the stress. This can promote a healthier mind. 

If you live alone, you should consider if you want to stay with a friend, or family member, for a while, after your traumatic experience. This is just until you feel comfortable and safe again. 

You can also stay in touch through phone, or video calls. 

Routines 

Try and live your life as you had before the incident. 

You may find that sticking to previous routines has become challenging. A change in your eating and exercise habits, and a difficulty in sleeping. 

You should maintain a healthy diet, alongside regular exercise. Getting the right amount of sleep, also contributes to a healthier mind. 

Professional Help 

You may choose to contact a professional, such as your GP, if you are struggling with the trauma. 

It is recommended that should you need advice, consider getting in touch only after the first month. This is because professional support is not effective in the first month. 

The only exception to this suggestion, is if your trauma is considered quite severe. 

Attention To Your Feelings 

In the first few months of experiencing a trauma, you should keep note of how you are feeling. 

If your emotional state is not showing signs of improvement, or if you find they have worsened, it is advised to seek help from your GP. 

Support from Employer 

If the trauma has developed while doing your job, there could be support available from your workplace. 

If the trauma took place elsewhere, you should let your employer know, as they could offer support. 

They will understand how you feel, and make the appropriate adjustments, to ensure that you are not overwhelmed by trauma. This can be done though slight adjustments, like changing your work shift times. 

Care for Yourself 

After experiencing a traumatic incident, people are more prone to accidents. 

Take caution when at home, or when driving. Avoid using drugs, or alcohol, as a means to feel better. 

These methods only work in the short term, and are liable to make you feel worse after an extended period. 

Limit the use of Media 

After encountering a traumatic experience, most would feel the need to find out more about it, through social media and the like. 

War, terrorist attacks, and natural disasters, are the most talked about incidents, where the casualty count numbers the most. 

Traumatised individuals should limit their intake of information, as it can cause feelings of discomfort and distress to arise.