TRAUMA

"Trauma is perhaps the most avoided, ignored, belittled, denied, misunderstood, and untreated cause of human suffering."

- Peter A. Levine, PhD

Trauma is no one event. It can be caused by hundreds of different distressing events outside of your control that leave you feeling unable to cope. You may be feeling humiliated, isolated, powerless, angry or fearful and as a result you feel shame, extreme anxiety or guilt and you have started to disassociate. That is trauma. Our body has no one set way it responds to a distressing event and there is no set time that it lasts. The effects of trauma are far reaching and can be as much about how you react, as what you experience.

Do any of the following sound familiar?

  • Are you isolating and withdrawing from others?

  • Are you engaging in self destructive behaviors, such as increased alcohol or drug use?

  • Are you experiencing difficulty concentrating and sleeping?

  • Have you noticed changes in your personal and professional relationships?

You are not alone, these are all perfectly normal reactions to trauma.

Your experience with trauma is as unique as you are. You may have been affected for longer than you thought, or your reaction may have been delayed but that does not mean you have not been impacted by trauma. Even if you are unsure whether it is trauma that you have experienced, talking it through with a professional may provide clarity or the support that you need.

“Your trauma is not your fault, but healing is your responsibility."

- Unknown

Trauma can be very isolating. You may have spent a significant amount of time comparing yourself to others, but no one can know your experience of trauma; the ways it makes you feel and to what extent it has impacted your life. Measuring your response to trauma against that of someone else is a very slippery slope and will often leave you feeling disappointed in yourself.

You may feel as though you will never heal, but you will. Feeling safe is vital to this process and establishing a trusted support system will help diminish the effects of your symptoms. If you can, be patient with yourself. Find someone to talk to that can help you better understand the effects of trauma and how to begin to heal.