How do I know if I'm dealing with Trauma?
You haven’t really felt like yourself lately.
Now that you’re thinking about it, these feelings have lasted longer than just a few days.
You’ve been extremely on edge lately. You’re even bothered by little things that you know aren’t even important to you. Even though the voice in the back of your head is telling you it doesn’t matter, you can’t seem to let it go so easily.
On top of you’re mood, you’ve also been daydreaming a lot more than usual. You’re usually so on top of things, but you feel like you’ve been forgetting everything lately.
You don’t feel like you’ve been through anything recently that would be identified as a traumatic experience that would bring on some of these signs and symptoms.
The thing about trauma is that it comes in many different forms, big and small.
What is Trauma?
First things first, what exactly is trauma? You may think of trauma with situations like death, a car accident, war, or a natural disaster. In reality, trauma is actually the emotional response to any distressing or disturbing event that can affect a person’s ability to cope.
Signs of trauma can be hard to detect. If you know what to look out for, they can be easily spotted.
This is how you know if you’re dealing with trauma.
Emotional Changes
Trauma can cause a lot of emotional changes that may cause you to feel like a different person.
Someone who experienced trauma may show signs of the feelings below:
Anger
Anxiety
Confusion
Denial
Depression
Fear
Guilt
Hopelessness
Sadness
Shame
Physical Symptoms
Trauma can affect someone mentally and physically. Most of the time, physical pain in the body is present after a traumatic event. Some of the physical symptoms from trauma can actually prevent someone from getting back to their day-to-day routine.
These are a few of the common physical signs of trauma:
Aches
Chills
Dizziness
Muscle tension
Numbness
Sweating
Tremors
Pains
Sleeping Problems
Changes in sleeping habits are common among individuals who have experienced trauma. Insomnia and nightmares are extremely common in those struggling with trauma. The change could cause someone to have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep throughout the night.
Sleep is essential for rest and recovery. It’s one of the main factors for making sure you have enough energy to make it through your day. When sleep is disrupted, it can cause other physical, mental, and emotional problems that could lead to worsening symptoms.
Changes in Eating Habits
Changes in eating habits will be dependent on the trauma that occurred. One of two things typically happens with a change in appetite or meals. Either the individual will increase their appetite as a way to fill the void that they may be feeling or they will eat less due to a loss of appetite or an upset stomach.
Next Steps
If the signs and symptoms listed above sound a little too familiar to you or someone you love, it may be time to reach out for additional support. A lot of the symptoms associated with trauma can actually start to worsen over time if left untreated.
One of the best and strongest things you can do is to reach out for help. A therapist can work with you to determine the cause of the trauma as well as help you put a plan in place to start the coping process.
Your trauma does not define you. You don’t have to carry this with you. Reach out to us today to set up a consultation if you’re struggling with signs of trauma. We’ll help you get back on track to living your life to the fullest again.