Understanding Trauma & 3 Tips to Cope

The word “trauma” might spark horrific images of war, sexual assault, or severe neglect. The truth is that trauma is relative to the person experiencing it. There is no threshold that dictates one experience to be traumatic - or more traumatic - than another. Several factors in your life can lead to higher likelihood of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) related symptoms. These factors include but are not limited to other mental health diagnoses, duration of the event, history of other traumatic experiences, or sense of support. Likewise, protective factors can promote resiliency, or the ability to bounce back from a traumatic event. These factors include a strong support system, effective methods of coping and self-care, access to mental health resources, and overall healthy lifestyle habits.

Let’s try to understand the potential symptoms of traumatic stress.

First, your brain has one goal: survival. Trauma events are essentially a perceived threat that forces your brain into survival mode. During the event, the reasoning, higher level of thought part of your brain shuts down because it works too slowly to be helpful. You are essentially acting on instinct in those moments. Once the event is over, your brain may be on high alert to avoid that threat in the future. This explains why even seemingly mundane triggers such as a word, a place, a song, or even the time of day can result in severe anxiety, lashing out, flashbacks, or shutting down. Your brain learned in the initial event that whatever method of survival worked the first time, can work again. Unfortunately, it’s more harmful than helpful in the long run. Part of healing from trauma is teaching your brain that these mundane triggers are not threats to your safety.

Now that you have a basic understanding of what’s going on, how can you deal with it?

Tip #1: Label the Feeling & Reaction.

Panic can rise when we don’t know what’s going on. Simply taking a beat, labeling your emotion, and describing the reaction to yourself can pause the rapid increase in intensity. Take another breath and repeat. Repeat these steps until the overwhelming feeling and reaction stabilize. This may take several repetitions. Remember, practice makes progress, and you cannot practice in a crisis. So, test this skill out when you have positive emotions like peace, joy, or confidence.

Tip #2: Check your Inner Monologue.

Start to check in with your self-talk on a daily basis. When you do something well, even if it seems like the bare minimum, try giving yourself an affirmation. This simple practice can provide positive reinforcement for positive self-talk. Try a neutral or positive comment when you make a mistake. It might sound like, “I did what I thought was right in the moment,” or “I can learn from this mistake.” It might feel fake at first, but that’s likely because you’re more comfortable hearing negative comments about yourself. Writing these neutral or positive statements down can further reinforce your ability to believe it.

Tip #3: Get Curious. Leave the Judgement at the Door.

Instead of saying,” I shouldn’t be feeling this way,” or “I’m overreacting over nothing!” Try getting curious. “I wonder where this emotion is coming from.” “My reaction right now doesn’t seem to match the situation. What’s getting triggered in me right now?” These curious questions will help you acknowledge your feelings without dismissing them. It’s most helpful to practice this skill in a journal. There’s no wrong answer to these questions but do your best to stay neutral or positive as you explore.