Trauma
“Trauma is the emotional response someone has to an extremely negative event.”
(American Psychological Association)
Any personal experience is traumatic if you are left feeling fearful and helpless by an unexpected event for which you were unprepared and powerless to prevent. It may cause physical, emotional, psychological, cognitive and/or behavioral symptoms for days, months or years after the event. This is a normal response, not a result of weakness. Since traumatic events can accumulate over a lifetime, it is important to speak with a trauma specialist immediately to prevent often unconscious effects from building up in your nervous system, creating misery that you may not relate to the event.
Do you experience any of these signs of trauma response or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?
- Flashbacks, nightmares or reliving the event, unable to let go of preoccupation
- Feeling emotionally numb or overwhelmed
- Fear, anxiety, depression, anger, irritability, helplessness, grief, feeling permanently damaged
- Social withdrawal, difficulty with close relationships, sexual intimacy, emotional reactivity
- Difficulty functioning at home or work, limited concentration, memory, attention
- Fatigue, loss of motivation, headaches, body pain
- Compulsive, self-destructive, impulsive behavior
- Increased alcohol or drug use, other addictive behaviors
If so, it’s time to end suffering and regain control of your life.