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Trauma
"There are wounds that never show on the body that are deeper and more hurtful than anything that bleeds."
-Laurell K. Hamilton, Mistral's Kiss
Have you experienced or been exposed to an extreme event or series of life-threatening or emotionally disturbing events?
Do you feel that such event(s) had effects on your emotions, your physical health, your thoughts, or on your mental health overall?
That could be trauma!
Have you experienced a devastating loss that has impacted your life, and you find it challenging to adapt to the loss?
The loss could be of a loved one, the loss of trust, the feeling of safety, or the person you were before an intense event.
That could be grief!
Trauma and grief are often linked together, but they are not the same. Trauma is a strong emotional response to a devastating event. The emotional effects of a traumatic event could occur immediately, short term, or long term.
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Trauma comes with a loss. For example, the losses that occur with trauma could be the death of a loved one, the loss of a sense of safety, the loss of a sense of control, the loss of perceived value based on our culture or community beliefs, etc.
Common trauma experiences:
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Poverty
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Racism, discrimination, oppression
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Community violence
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War, terrorism
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Sudden loss of a loved one
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Separation
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Complex immigration experience
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Abuse (physical, sexual, emotional, etc.)
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Domestic violence (experiencing or witnessing)
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Neglect
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Living with a loved one who has a substance use disorder or untreated mental health disorder.
Effects of untreated trauma:
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Anxiety
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Flashbacks
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Behavioral changes
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Insomnia/Hypersomnia
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Avoidance of people, places, and things that trigger memories
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Difficulty or inability to focus
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Changes in memory
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Nightmares
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Physical effects (GI issues, inflammation, heart disease, autoimmune disease)
Let us help you regain a sense of normalcy and find meaning in life after having experienced trauma and grief.
