When you’re dealing with trauma, it’s essential to have the right tools to help you recover. Physical trauma solutions are pretty straightforward — get stitches to heal a cut, put a cast on a broken bone, have surgery to repair an organ. With emotional trauma, the answer is not so simple. It can require months or even years of processing what happened and your feelings about it, and without the proper treatment, it can leave lasting consequences for a lifetime.
What Is Emotional Trauma?
Like physical trauma, emotional or psychological trauma comes from living through or witnessing a painful or distressing event. It could be major, like being involved in a school shooting, or minor, such as an embarrassing event. Common causes of emotional trauma include:
- Physical or sexual assault.
- Natural disasters.
- Witnessing or being in an accident.
- Death of a loved one.
- Neglect.
- Serious illnesses.
- Learning disabilities
While some people can move past these events thanks to a strong support circle or using coping skills, others live with symptoms for weeks or months that make it hard to function in their daily lives. Long-term problems due to trauma are more common in children who are less likely to have the skills they need to navigate through these events.
Symptoms of Childhood Trauma in Adults
If you or a loved one is struggling with trauma, you may notice some of these behaviors in the affected party:
- Substance abuse
- Depression
- Anxiety and panic attacks
- Eating disorders
- Difficulty in close relationships
- Low self-esteem
- Difficulty sleeping despite being exhausted
- Constant physical pain
How to Deal With Traumatic Memories
The good news is that, with help, almost anyone can recover from their emotional trauma and go on to live a normal life. To get started, try:
- Grounding: Using grounding techniques can help you stay in the moment instead of getting caught up in your trauma. Common forms of grounding include breathing exercises and taking specific notes of what each of your senses is experiencing.
- Seeking support: The people that love you want to help. It can be challenging to discuss such heavy topics aloud, but venting can help you feel better and less alone.
- Therapy: Find a therapist that specializes in childhood trauma, as they’re particularly suited to give you the tools you need to move on.
Start Recovering From Your Past at 7 Summit Pathways
When you’re dealing with unresolved childhood trauma, sometimes it feels like drugs and alcohol are the only ways for you to move past your pain. What started as an avoidance technique became an addiction, and you don’t know where to go.
At 7 Summit Pathways, you’ll find a team of therapists that work one-on-one with patients to find the root of their addictions and traumas and move past them. Along with our inpatient and outpatient treatment options, our Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) helps people recover while still living their lives. Connect with our Interventional Specialists today and stop reliving your traumas.