Online Counseling & Psychotherapy
PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA
What is Psychological Trauma ?
Psychological trauma is damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one's ability to cope, or integrate the emotions involved with that experience
Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people.
Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and isolated can result in trauma, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective circumstances that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized
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ONE TIME EVENT : Such as an accident, injury, or a violent attack, especially if it was unexpected or happened in childhood.
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ONGOING RELENTLESS STRESS : Such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood, battling a life-threatening illness or experiencing traumatic events that occur repeatedly, such as bullying, domestic violence, or childhood neglect.
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COMMONLY OVERLOOKED CAUSES : Such as surgery (especially in the first 3 years of life), the sudden death of someone close, the breakup of a significant relationship, or a humiliating or deeply disappointing experience, especially if someone was deliberately cruel.
Causes of Psychological Trauma
Childhood Trauma & Risk of Future Trauma
While traumatic events can happen to anyone, you’re more likely to be traumatized by an event if you’re already under a heavy stress load, have recently suffered a series of losses, or have been traumatized before—especially if the earlier trauma occurred in childhood. Childhood trauma can result from anything that disrupts a child’s sense of safety, including:
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An unstable or unsafe environment
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Separation from a parent
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Serious illness
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Intrusive medical procedures
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Domestic violence
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Neglect
Experiencing trauma in childhood can result in a severe and long-lasting effect. When childhood trauma is not resolved, a sense of fear and helplessness carries over into adulthood, setting the stage for further trauma. However, even if your trauma happened many years ago, there are steps you can take to overcome the pain, learn to trust and connect to others again, and regain your sense of emotional balance.
Symptoms of Psychological Trauma
PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
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Shock, denial, or disbelief
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Confusion, difficulty concentrating
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Anger, irritability, mood swings
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Anxiety and fear
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Guilt, shame, self-blame
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Withdrawing from others
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Feeling sad or hopeless
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Feeling disconnected or numb
PHYSIOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS
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Insomnia or nightmares
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Fatigue
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Being startled easily
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Difficulty concentrating
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Racing heartbeat
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Edginess and agitation
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Aches and pains
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Muscle tension
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Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
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Prolonged Exposure Therapy
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Aversion Therapy
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Thought Stopping & Switching
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Recommended Treatment for Psychological Trauma
