The Impact of Trauma on Mental Health: Strategies for Healing and Moving Forward

Shocking, stressful, or alarming situations can leave you with a sense of horror and helplessness; like you are living in a dangerous world. These situations, referred to as 'traumatic events', are not just stressful while you are in the moment, but can leave a lasting impact on your physical and mental health.

While every individual's response to a traumatic event may vary, it can have a long-term impact on their overall well-being. Coping with a traumatic event is possible, but to manage it effectively, professional support is crucial.

In this article, we explore how traumatic events can affect one's mental health and ways to cope with their symptoms.

Also read: Understanding the Connection between Childhood Trauma and Adult Anxiety Disorders

What is a traumatic event?

Typically, traumatic events or experiences, involve serious threats to one's safety or life. However, a traumatic event can be any experience which causes emotional, psychological, or physical harm to an individual, and makes them feel isolated or overwhelmed. Traumatic events are determined by the subjective emotional experiences of the individual, and not their objective circumstances.

Traumatic experiences not only affect the survivor, but can have an impact on their loved ones too. The more helpless and frightened they feel, the more likely they are to be traumatised.

How do traumatic events affect your mental health?

Right after a traumatic event, shock, and denial are the two most common emotions people experience. These feelings help protect you from the emotional impact of the event and may make you feel numb or detached from the event. 

However, once the initial reaction of shock and denial wears away, every individual's response to trauma manifests differently. So, it's important not to judge your emotions according to others' thoughts or feelings.

Psychological trauma can deeply impact an individual's mental health. It can leave one feeling anxious and leave them with upsetting memories and emotions that do not seem to go away.

Anxiety and depression commonly occur with traumatic stress. When individuals experience trauma, they are more likely to feel intense feelings of worry, sadness, and helplessness which can interfere with their daily functioning. 

Trauma may also contribute to the development of substance use disorder among affected individuals. Individuals may begin using substances as a way to cope with the symptoms of their trauma.

In many cases, individuals may develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a type of anxiety disorder, after a traumatic event. While symptoms of trauma may ease in a few days or months, PTSD symptoms can last for years. 

PTSD can affect how an individual's body responds to stress and result in strong emotional and physical reactions to any memory or thoughts related to the event. Social and professional support is crucial to help individuals manage the symptoms of PTSD.

Also read: Finding Hope Beyond PTSD: How to Start the Healing Process

What are some ways of coping with trauma?

While symptoms of trauma fade away with time, reminders of the event can bring back painful thoughts and memories. No matter if you experienced a traumatic event recently or a few days ago, there are ways of healing and moving forward from your experience. 

Certain coping strategies can help you regain emotional balance and overcome your responses to the memories of the event. 

Exercise and move around often

Trauma can make your body freeze between hyperarousal and fear, making you feel like you are stuck in one place. Getting enough exercise not only helps your overall well-being, but can also help you shift your focus away from distressing memories, to how your body is moving.

Connect with others

Isolating yourself from others is a common response to traumatic experiences, but this can only make things worse. When you connect with others in your life, your friends and family can help you feel less alone.

Practise mindfulness

Mindfulness meditation and breathing can help you focus on the present and away from your experiences. When you practise mindfulness, it helps you calm your nervous system, which helps keep anxious thoughts at bay.

Seek professional support

While you can use some strategies to cope with your trauma if your symptoms persist, it is best to seek professional support. A mental health professional can not only equip you with skills to cope better with your trauma, but also help you understand how you can heal from it.

Everyone goes through stressful experiences, but when they overwhelm an individual, these experiences can be traumatic. Trauma can have a lasting impact on an individual, affecting their emotional, physical, and psychological well-being. 

Also read: What Is Trauma Bonding?

When you work with a professional, you can learn how to manage the symptoms of trauma and learn how to heal and move on from these experiences.

Sources:

1. Robinson, L. (2023a). Emotional and Psychological Trauma. HelpGuide.org. https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/coping-with-emotional-and-psychological-trauma.htm

2. Pathway Family Services. (2023). The Impact of Trauma on Mental Health and Wellness. Pathway Family Services. https://pathwayfs.org/the-impact-of-trauma-on-mental-health-and-wellness/

3. Cnc, A. R. (2023). How to Heal From Trauma. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/10-ways-to-heal-from-trauma-5206940