Trauma
When you are struggling with symptoms of trauma, we encourage you to reach out to close friends and family as well as seek therapy with Transformative Counseling & Wellness. You CAN find support during this challenging time.
What is trauma?
Trauma is a psychological response to a perceived harmful or life-threatening event. This could involve being involved in a car crash, being raped or sexually assaulted, being abused, harassed or bullied, being kidnapped, held hostage or any event in which you fear for your life, experiencing violence, including military combat, a terrorist attack, or any violent assault, seeing other people hurt or killed, including in the course of your job, surviving a natural disaster, such as flooding, earthquakes or pandemics, losing someone close to you in particularly upsetting circumstances, being diagnosed with a life-threatening condition, as well as others.
What are the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
vivid flashbacks (feeling like the trauma is happening right now)
intrusive thoughts or images
nightmares
intense distress at real or symbolic reminders of the trauma
physical sensations such as pain, sweating, nausea or trembling.
panicking when reminded of the trauma
being easily upset or angry
extreme alertness, also sometimes called 'hypervigilance'
disturbed sleep or a lack of sleep
irritability or aggressive behavior
finding it hard to concentrate – including on simple or everyday tasks
being jumpy or easily startled
other symptoms of anxiety
feeling like you have to keep busy
avoiding anything that reminds you of the trauma
being unable to remember details of what happened
feeling emotionally numb or cut off from your feelings
feeling physically numb or detached from your body
being unable to express affection
doing things that could be self-destructive or reckless
using alcohol or drugs to avoid memories
feeling like you can't trust anyone
feeling like nowhere is safe
feeling like nobody understands
blaming yourself for what happened
overwhelming feelings of anger, sadness, guilt or shame.
*Source: Mind: PTSD - www.mind.org.uk
What is complex post-traumatic stress disorder?
Complex post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition where you experience some symptoms of PTSD along with some additional symptoms, such as:
difficulty controlling your emotions
feeling very angry or distrustful towards the world
constant feelings of emptiness or hopelessness
feeling as if you are permanently damaged or worthless
feeling as if you are completely different to other people
feeling like nobody can understand what happened to you
avoiding friendships and relationships, or finding them very difficult
often experiencing dissociative symptoms, such as depersonalisation or derealisation
physical symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, chest pains and stomach aches
regular suicidal feelings
*Source: Mind: Complex PTSD - www.mind.org.uk
What is abandonment trauma?
Trauma related to abandonment is the fear or anxiety of people you are close to leaving you. This fear may be overwhelming, and may be caused by experiencing loss, neglect, or rejection early in life. People struggling with abandonment fear may have difficulty establishing and maintaining healthy relationships. The causes of abandonment trauma can be childhood trauma (abuse, neglect, abandonment), death, divorce or separation, unmet emotional needs, and stressful or traumatic events.
What are some signs of abandonment trauma?
Anxiety and depression
Difficulty trusting others
Developing relationships quickly
Codependency
Trouble establishing and maintaining healthy relationships
Avoiding people or situations where you could experience rejection or separation
Staying in a relationship that isn't healthy
Struggling to regulate emotions and distress
Panic related to potential loss of essential people
*Source: Very Well Health: Abandonment Trauma- www.verywellhealth.com
