How Trauma May Show Up In Life & How To Help Yourself Heal

What is Trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. ?

Trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. is when your body or your mind react to memories of painful experiences in the past. These experiences are called “traumatic experiences”. Some examples of traumatic A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. experiences are, domestic violence, racism, bullying, sexual abuse Violent treatment of a person. , war, etc.

Traumatic A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. experiences can happen just once or multiple times. People with many experiences of violence (or danger) have higher risk of serious reactions.

How does trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. show up?

Trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. works on everyone differently. It can change our minds and our bodies. It can mess up our relationships. It can lower our ability to control our emotions. Trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. brings up the stress level. Sometimes past trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. can change us in ways that we cannot see. For example, we may feel tired a lot. Or, we may feel shy around new people which may be the result of traumatic A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. experiences in our past.

Ways trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. affect the mind:

• Your stress level may go up,
• You experience upsetting emotions, anxiety The fearful anticipation of danger or problems accompanied by an intense unpleasant feeling or physical symptoms. or depression A type of mental health challenge where a person experiences low or irritable mood or loss of interest or pleasure in almost all activities over a period of time. ,
• You are not able to focus,
• You feel tired, upset, distracted,
• You feel detached and/or very sensitive,
• You do not want to talk to people,
• You have flashbacks Looking back on something that already happened. of the painful event.

Ways trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. affect the body:

Trauma A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. can cause tension, headaches, pain, fast heart rate, discomfort, fatigue To be very tired. , stomach pain, diabetes, high blood pressure and many long-lasting illnesses.

Traumatic A deeply upsetting or disturbing experience. triggers:

A trigger Something that causes an event or situation to happen. is a reminder of past events. Anything can be a trigger Something that causes an event or situation to happen. —for example, a birthday, a holiday, family pictures, or even a smell can bring back painful memories. If we learn to face what bring back these memories, we will be able to lower the impact of triggers.

Grounding Practices:

When we remember the painful memory, we hold stress in our bodies. It is important to release stress by finding ways to feel our bodies in the present moment. This is called “mindfulness”. Mindfulness To be aware of something. reminds us that we are safe.

Here are some tips to practice mindfulness To be aware of something. :

• Try some of these techniques,
• Breathe deeply or try meditation,
• Find time to walk and move your body,
• Feel your body—try taking a couple seconds to feel your feet on the ground,
• Connect with people that make you feel safe and supported.

Long-Term Practices That Can Help Us Heal:

• Seek professional support
• Find a trauma-informed therapist through AllyNetwork’s provider directory
• Join a support group