Trauma
(Here refers to Psychological Trauma as opposed to Physical Trauma. Complex Trauma, refers to childhood abuse or neglect is dealt with in more detail elsewhere.)
Events that have serious on-going negative effects are often referred to as Trauma. A person experiencing trauma has had or witnessed a seriously threatening or frightening event. The event lingers in your mind and stops pleasant thoughts. What causes traumatic responses can vary between people. If you are suffering from a seriously bad experience, you may need help to recover.
It’s true that most people experience upsetting or frightening things at some time in their lives. These events bother them for a while and then just become a sad memory. But some events are so upsetting, they won’t go away. You feel as upset as you did when they happened. You can’t be relaxed and happy again. This sounds like trauma. In fact, it is the effect that an event has on us that is the trauma, rather than the event itself.
Common Causes of Trauma
- Being in a war zone
- Physical attack or injury
- Being involved in a car accident
- Death of a loved one, especially if sudden and unexpected
- Experiencing or witnessing train or plane crash
- Fearing you might be in danger from or accident or attack
- Serious sudden life-threatening health scare, such as a heart-atack
- Sexual attacks or unwanted sexual attention – adults and children
- Overwhelmingly stressful events like failing an exam or losing a job
- Terrorist attack
Common symptoms of Trauma
- Constantly on edge and anxious
- Eating and sleeping difficulties
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Flashbacks to the event that caused the trauma
- Inconsistent moods
- Low moods and depressive feelings
- Memory problems about some features of the event
- Persistent and severe distress when reminded of the trauma-causing event
- Physical symptoms, such as easily startled, racing heart and sweating
- Sudden bursts of anger
To read more about Trauma, see downloadable PDFs: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Safeguarding Your Wellbeing after an Incident.
Counselling for Trauma
Without help, bad feelings can remain and become post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It‘s very important for people with or
vulnerable to PTSD to seek help. The earlier you seek help, the better chance you have of recovery. But even if you have left it for a while, it is never too late! Counselling can help you manage those bad feelings that linger after upsetting or frightening events have occurred. While you may not be able to undo the events themselves, you can learn how to undo the effects that they have on you. And when you mitigate the distress, the memories lose their power, lessening their negative impact. It can take time but is worth the effort to get your happiness back. If you’d like some help, click on the image to make your appointment today.
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