Life is full of events that put you to the test — incidents that challenge your understanding of the world around you, shake your confidence, erode your sense of safety, or leave you feeling isolated and alone.
Whether it’s a serious accident, a natural disaster, violence, the death of a loved one, or something else, traumatic experiences may occur out of nowhere or they may be an enduring part of your life.
As mental health experts who specialize in trauma treatment, the team at EXIS Recovery knows that the world can feel unpredictable and unsafe after a traumatic event. Let’s explore how these persistent feelings can impact your daily life, and what you can do about it.
The early effects of trauma
Whether it’s inflicted by a one-time event, multiple occurrences, or a long-lasting repetitive experience, trauma affects everyone differently.
Most people have strong feelings of anger, fear, guilt, sadness, or grief in the days and weeks following trauma. Some people start to feel better as they make sense of what happened to them, while others feel overwhelmed or trapped by intense emotions that won’t subside.
When trauma-related emotions are intense and persistent — and if the support of family and friends is insufficient or nonexistent — many people begin to feel helpless, as if they’re stuck on a treadmill with no way to get off.
As distressing memories, thoughts, and emotions continue to invade and interrupt everyday life, they can strain mental health and have a significant effect on virtually every aspect of life.
Common responses to trauma
It’s not uncommon for people who feel trapped in the aftermath of trauma to develop mental health problems like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and anxiety.
People who are dealing with trauma may also have trouble sleeping, perform poorly at work, pull away from family and friends, and reach for drugs or alcohol. When it comes to any one of these aftereffects, the impact of trauma can be subtle, insidious, or outright destructive.
Daily emotions
Anger, grief, despair, helplessness, shame, numbness, and loneliness are common emotional reactions to trauma. When these emotions don’t improve over time, they often lead to another uncomfortable feeling: a total lack of control.
Traumatized people who live in a state of emotional “dysregulation” often look for ways to regain emotional control. Self-medication (substance abuse) is one of the most frequent control strategies. Disordered eating, gambling, overworking, and repression or denial of emotions are other common strategies.
Daily stress levels
Living in the aftermath of trauma can be incredibly stressful, and living in a state of perpetual stress can cause physiological reactions that give rise to a variety of physical symptoms.
Known collectively as somatic symptoms, the physical symptoms and dysfunctions that express emotional distress can affect almost any system in your body, ranging from your cardiovascular and respiratory systems to your neurological and gastrointestinal systems.
Hyperarousal, one of the most common physical symptoms of trauma, is the body’s way of staying prepared for action in the face of emotional distress. Also known as hypervigilance, it’s characterized by chronic sleep disturbances, muscle tension, and a lower threshold for startle responses.
Daily behaviors
Trauma can change your perspective and outlook on many levels. For most people, an integral part of the post-traumatic experience is realizing they feel different from others. Many people also question the necessity and value of the mundane activities that drive normal routines.
Along with the emotional upheaval and unrelenting stress caused by trauma, this new sense of self-awareness can affect the way a person behaves with family and friends and in normal, everyday situations.
Some people feel alienated, irritable, or unrelatable when they spend time with others, and simply find it easier to withdraw from their loved ones and stop attending social activities. Many people also find it difficult to jump back into a “normal” routine, which can have a real impact both at work and at home.
Yes, you can overcome trauma
While it’s helpful to understand what a common trauma response may look like, it’s important to recognize that trauma is a highly individual experience that prompts wide-ranging reactions.
It’s also important to realize that no reaction is wrong, even if it’s unhealthy; every reaction to trauma qualifies as a normal response to abnormal circumstances.
Even so, you have the power to move past your trauma and build a new, healthier future — one where you’re in full control of your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. As always, we’re here to help.
To learn more about our trauma treatment services at EXIS Recovery in West Los Angeles, call 424-244-3513 today. Or if you prefer, simply click here to schedule an appointment with one of our trusted mental health experts any time.
When thinking about trauma, many of us immediately think about mass traumatic events like terrorist attacks, mass shootings, torture, combat, or severe weather events. Trauma includes these things, but also so much more.
According to the Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) curriculum, a trauma is a shocking and dangerous event that someone sees or experiences, and it’s associated with levels of stress that can harm physical and mental health. Trauma can include things like verbal, physical or sexual abuse; emotional or physical neglect; a significant loss; alcohol/drug exposure; poverty; bullying, racism or discrimination; or even a pandemic.
Which brings us to COVID-19. Along with the other events of 2020, we’ve felt COVID-19’s impact in all aspects of our lives, including our physical and mental health. Many people are experiencing challenges related to feelings of isolation, financial hardship and unmet basic needs. For some, the stress is added to preexisting trauma, adversity and disparities. For others, these issues bring new grief, loss and the increased risk for violence and abuse in the home. As a result, nearly one in five adults says their mental health is worse today than it was at this time last year.
To address traumatic stress that you or your loved one may be facing — whether it’s because of COVID-19 or something else — it’s important to understand how trauma can impact a person’s daily life.
It is common to feel upset after something traumatic happens. But while some people may feel better in a few weeks or months, others may experience changes in thoughts, feelings or behavior that impact their daily lives. They may need more help over a longer period of time to heal. Supporting a person immediately after a traumatic event and providing ongoing support can prevent symptoms that cause distress and lifelong physical, mental and emotional challenges.
If your loved one or peer is struggling because of COVID-19 or another traumatic event, ask them about their current situation and life experiences without judgment or blame. Find out if they are being harmed or are safe. Having an open and honest conversation about how they are doing and what they need can be life changing and get them the support they may need.
MHFA can help you #BeTheDifference for the people you love, and it provides tools to protect your own mental health during challenging times. Find a course here.
Overview
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they usually get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD.
Getting effective treatment after PTSD symptoms develop can be critical to reduce symptoms and improve function.
Symptoms
Post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may start within one month of a traumatic event, but sometimes symptoms may not appear until years after the event. These symptoms cause significant problems in social or work situations and in relationships. They can also interfere with your ability to go about your normal daily tasks.
PTSD symptoms are generally grouped into four types: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions. Symptoms can vary over time or vary from person to person.
Intrusive memories
Symptoms of intrusive memories may include:
- Recurrent, unwanted distressing memories of the traumatic event
- Reliving the traumatic event as if it were happening again (flashbacks)
- Upsetting dreams or nightmares about the traumatic event
- Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the traumatic event
Avoidance
Symptoms of avoidance may include:
- Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event
- Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event
Negative changes in thinking and mood
Symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood may include:
- Negative thoughts about yourself, other people or the world
- Hopelessness about the future
- Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
- Difficulty maintaining close relationships
- Feeling detached from family and friends
- Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed
- Difficulty experiencing positive emotions
- Feeling emotionally numb
Changes in physical and emotional reactions
Symptoms of changes in physical and emotional reactions (also called arousal symptoms) may include:
- Being easily startled or frightened
- Always being on guard for danger
- Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
- Trouble sleeping
- Trouble concentrating
- Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behavior
- Overwhelming guilt or shame
For children 6 years old and younger, signs and symptoms may also include:
- Re-enacting the traumatic event or aspects of the traumatic event through play
- Frightening dreams that may or may not include aspects of the traumatic event
Intensity of symptoms
PTSD symptoms can vary in intensity over time. You may have more PTSD symptoms when you’re stressed in general, or when you come across reminders of what you went through. For example, you may hear a car backfire and relive combat experiences. Or you may see a report on the news about a sexual assault and feel overcome by memories of your own assault.
When to see a doctor
If you have disturbing thoughts and feelings about a traumatic event for more than a month, if they’re severe, or if you feel you’re having trouble getting your life back under control, talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. Getting treatment as soon as possible can help prevent PTSD symptoms from getting worse.
If you have suicidal thoughts
If you or someone you know has suicidal thoughts, get help right away through one or more of these resources:
- Reach out to a close friend or loved one.
- Contact a minister, a spiritual leader or someone in your faith community.
- Contact a suicide hotline. In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Or use the Lifeline Chat. Services are free and confidential.
- Make an appointment with your doctor or a mental health professional.
When to get emergency help
If you think you may hurt yourself or attempt suicide, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
If you know someone who’s in danger of attempting suicide or has made a suicide attempt, make sure someone stays with that person to keep him or her safe. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. Or, if you can do so safely, take the person to the nearest hospital emergency room.
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Causes
You can develop post-traumatic stress disorder when you go through, see or learn about an event involving actual or threatened death, serious injury or sexual violation.
Doctors aren’t sure why some people get PTSD. As with most mental health problems, PTSD is probably caused by a complex mix of:
- Stressful experiences, including the amount and severity of trauma you’ve gone through in your life
- Inherited mental health risks, such as a family history of anxiety and depression
- Inherited features of your personality — often called your temperament
- The way your brain regulates the chemicals and hormones your body releases in response to stress
Risk factors
People of all ages can have post-traumatic stress disorder. However, some factors may make you more likely to develop PTSD after a traumatic event, such as:
- Experiencing intense or long-lasting trauma
- Having experienced other trauma earlier in life, such as childhood abuse
- Having a job that increases your risk of being exposed to traumatic events, such as military personnel and first responders
- Having other mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression
- Having problems with substance misuse, such as excess drinking or drug use
- Lacking a good support system of family and friends
- Having blood relatives with mental health problems, including anxiety or depression
Kinds of traumatic events
The most common events leading to the development of PTSD include:
- Combat exposure
- Childhood physical abuse
- Sexual violence
- Physical assault
- Being threatened with a weapon
- An accident
Many other traumatic events also can lead to PTSD, such as fire, natural disaster, mugging, robbery, plane crash, torture, kidnapping, life-threatening medical diagnosis, terrorist attack, and other extreme or life-threatening events.
Complications
Post-traumatic stress disorder can disrupt your whole life ― your job, your relationships, your health and your enjoyment of everyday activities.
Having PTSD may also increase your risk of other mental health problems, such as:
- Depression and anxiety
- Issues with drugs or alcohol use
- Eating disorders
- Suicidal thoughts and actions
Prevention
After surviving a traumatic event, many people have PTSD-like symptoms at first, such as being unable to stop thinking about what’s happened. Fear, anxiety, anger, depression, guilt — all are common reactions to trauma. However, the majority of people exposed to trauma do not develop long-term post-traumatic stress disorder.
Getting timely help and support may prevent normal stress reactions from getting worse and developing into PTSD. This may mean turning to family and friends who will listen and offer comfort. It may mean seeking out a mental health professional for a brief course of therapy. Some people may also find it helpful to turn to their faith community.
Support from others also may help prevent you from turning to unhealthy coping methods, such as misuse of alcohol or drugs.
