The role of trauma in our lives
Trauma has been thrown into the spotlight, and for good reason. Read more about how trauma affects the way we function, thrive, and relate to others.
In recent years, trauma has emerged as an important topic in the realm of mental well-being and emotional resilience. Defined as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms our capacity to cope, trauma can come in various forms and can have deep effects on our lives, relationships, and mental well-being.
Some of us may have experienced acute trauma, which occurs from a single distressing event, such as an accident, natural disaster, or assault. Chronic trauma involves repeated exposure to stressful events, such as ongoing abuse or neglect. For some, prolonged exposure to multiple traumatic events from an early age, such as childhood abuse, domestic violence, or severe neglect, may lead to complex trauma.
As highly adaptable beings, many of us have learnt to cope with trauma by avoiding triggers that cause us distress or disruptions to our lives. However, there is often a trade-off to that, as we may find ourselves living in “survival mode”. Overtime, we may notice that we aren’t able to experience the full spectrum of human emotions in a free, unrestrained way.
For some, the impact of trauma may show itself in different ways:
Physical ailments: This may show up in the form of headaches, fatigue, or gastrointestinal issues. Physical ailments may also occur when and after we face a highly stressful event, which may mirror effects of past trauma that we have suppressed. Prolonged negligence of the impact of trauma in our lives may also lead to more severe medical conditions overtime.
Mental health difficulties: People who have experienced trauma may suffer from symptoms of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or addiction. In our work with people who struggle with sex and porn addiction, we often discover (though not all the time) a history of trauma at some point in their lives.
Emotional well-being: Trauma can affect emotions - how we relate to emotions and our feelings. This can lead to mood swings, irritability, and difficulties regulating emotions.
Interpersonal relationships: Trauma, particularly relational trauma, will inadvertently affect how we relate to others. It can affect trust, communication or intimacy in relationships, causing social withdrawal or conflict.
Hope for recovery
Thankfully, there are many types of treatment for trauma available today. There are “talk” therapeutic techniques that identify, challenge, and replace unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviours (known as cognitive-behavioural techniques), or uncover unconscious processes and past experiences that contribute to present-day difficulties (psychodynamic). There are those that recognise the role of bodily and sensory experiences in trauma, emphasising greater awareness and acceptance of bodily sensations and facilitating recovery in more holistic ways. Likewise, some of us may feel more drawn to non-talk therapies in the form of expressive or creative arts, while others may require medication prescribed by a psychiatrist prior to any psychotherapeutic work.
There is no one-size-fits-all trauma therapy treatment, as it is often contingent on many factors: our experiences, personality types, our readiness to confront our trauma, the therapist-client fit and trust in the process, among others. But with the right support, we can begin to embark on a journey towards healing and reclaiming our lives from trauma.
If you or someone you know may be experiencing difficulties and have questions about trauma and types of treatment, feel free to reach out to us at Stillness for the Heart to find out more about the options available to you. Our counsellors are trained in various trauma-specific interventions, including attachment-based EMDR.
