Overcoming Trauma: A Guide to Healing

Life is filled with both ups and downs. Trauma is something that no one ever wants to deal with, but it's likely to happen to them at some point throughout their life.

Traumatic events are complex. They can cause signs and symptoms that tend to stay with a person for weeks, months, or even years after a traumatic event took place.

Many people find it easier to dismiss their true thoughts and feelings instead of actually dealing with them. For many, that feels better than relieving the traumatic event all over again. While this may seem like a solid short-term plan, it can impact how you feel in the long term.

The only way to overcome trauma is to allow yourself to feel and acknowledge the various thoughts and feelings. Overcoming trauma isn't easy, but it is possible. Consider this a guide to healing.

Allow Yourself to Feel

Many people try to bury or dismiss their true thoughts and feelings after a trauma. While this may seem like an easier route, it can lead to further issues in the long term. Allowing yourself to feel and taking the time to acknowledge those emotions isn't an easy process.

Journaling is a great way to try to release those various thoughts and emotions instead of holding them in. Not only is the act of writing in a journal a great tool for the moment you're feeling anxious, but it's also great to look back on later when you're in a better headspace to learn more about yourself and coping mechanisms that may have worked or not worked for you.

Take Care of Yourself

Trauma can creep into your life and start to cause daily disruptions. It's extremely important to take care of yourself, but even more so in times of stress.

Take care of yourself by fueling your body with healthy and well-balanced meals throughout your day, drinking enough water, and aiming for at least eight hours of sleep each night. You can take this a step further by practicing self-care. Engage in activities that you actually enjoy and make you feel good. Self-care looks different for everyone, so set time aside during your day for activities that fulfill you.

Practice Mindfulness

Worrying about the past or a potential future is a major source of stress and anxiety. Practicing mindfulness can help bring your body and brain back to the present moment. Mindfulness activities like deep breathing or meditation can help to improve stress levels, feel more relaxed, and be extremely beneficial for healing.

Move Your Body

Exercise is known to help you with your physical health, but it's also a great activity to help your overall mental health and wellness. Finding ways to move your body can help to reduce and improve the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moving your body releases the feel-good chemicals known as endorphins, which can help to increase your overall mood and reduce your stress levels. The best part is that you don't have to run or spend time at the gym for hours on end. Walking, riding your bike, following along to a yoga or meditation, or even dancing around your house can help you heal.

Seek Additional Support

Traumatic events can feel extremely isolating. It's important to know that you're not alone. Help is available to you. You're not expected to manage all of these thoughts and emotions all on your own. A mental health professional can work with you to get to the root cause of what you're feeling, as well as those signs and symptoms. Reach out today to get started.