Are you someone who has embarked on a healing journey wanting to enhance your mental health? If yes, then you have arrived at the right spot. We all experience stressful life events at some point or another in life. Some people recover quickly from such stress-inducing experiences, while a few others find it challenging, causing them to experience psychological trauma. Let’s first understand what psychological trauma means and its causes and then learn about the 7 powerful healing tips to recover from psychological trauma and live a life driven by purpose and meaning.
What Do You Mean by Psychological Trauma?
Psychological trauma refers to the damage that the mind experiences due to a highly stressful life event. It could be a single stressful event, a set of events, or a series of situations. A person who faces such unpleasant life events finds it hard to understand what has happened. They also consider such psychologically disturbing events damaging and threatening both physically and emotionally.
What Causes Psychological Trauma?
Stressful and painful life experiences cause feelings of threat to one’s life and safety. The major causes of psychological trauma are as follows:
- Childhood abuse and emotional neglect
- Domestic violence / intimate partner violence
- Sexual abuse
- Natural / Man-made disasters
- Car or motor vehicle accident
- Fatal medical illnesses
- Childbirth
- Surgery
- Sudden death of a dear one or a pet
- Loss of a significant relationship (divorce, break up, loss of a friendship),
- Academic Pressure
- Stress at workplace
- A prolonged period of unemployment
- Bullying
- Traffic collision
- Exposure to any form of cruel treatment.
7 Powerful Healing Tips to Recover from Psychological Trauma
Dealing with psychological trauma can be a challenging experience, but seeking support and taking good care of yourself will quicken the healing process. Here are 7 powerful healing tips for recovering from psychological trauma:
1. Acceptance of the Situation and Your Emotions
After a traumatic event, it’s normal to experience a plethora of emotions, from shock and sadness to irritability and confusion. These are all normal human reactions to an abnormal or unpleasant event. It’s essential to give these emotions a healthy outlet. Whether it’s crying to release sadness or venting to a trusted friend, acknowledging and expressing these emotions can help lessen their severity.
2. Identify Your Triggers
Many people find it challenging to deal with traumatic memories whenever something reminds them of past trauma. Whatever reminds you of the traumatic event causing discomfort and uneasiness is called a “trigger.”
For example, if someone experiences a separation in a romantic relationship, preserving the gifts or photos of an ex-partner can stir difficult emotions. Hence, treating the photos or gifts as triggers and throwing them away will greatly help.
3. Set Boundaries as You Heal
Not everyone is equipped to handle someone who is surviving a trauma or navigating a mental health condition. If you find someone pushing you to revisit painful memories when you’re not ready, it’s okay to set boundaries. Communicate the discomfort you feel and assert your need for space. Setting boundaries is not only a healthy practice but also a powerful healing tip to recover from psychological trauma and conserve your energy.
4. Take the Help of a Mental Health Professional
Connect with a mental health practitioner who provides trauma-informed care. The best part of choosing a trauma-informed mental health expert is that they would focus on “What has happened to you?” rather than “What’s wrong with you?” A mental health expert will help you cope with the complex emotions associated with trauma in a space that feels safe and free from judgment.
5. Journaling
If you feel emotionally overwhelmed and don’t want to share your thoughts and feelings even with a trusted one, consider maintaining a journal. Write down all that you feel and think in a raw manner. Journaling offers a safe space for venting out anything that you find disturbing. It also serves as a fantastic tool to release heavy emotions.
6. Volunteering
Volunteering helps trauma survivors feel empowered at the personal and social level, serving as yet another powerful healing tip for recovering from psychological trauma. People on their healing journey can consider activities such as teaching underprivileged kids, spending time with older adults at nursing homes, feeding stray dogs, or donating food or clothes to others.
Being socially productive and engaging in such activities will make the giver and the receiver happy, fueling a sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. Thereby, fostering psychological well-being.
7. Create Healthy Routines
Create a healthy morning and night routine, ensuring the activities you include are suitable for your mental health. Your morning routine can consist of therapeutic activities, such as a quick breathing exercise like the 4-7-8 breathing technique and gratitude journaling.
Likewise, developing a good night routine is essential, such as avoiding screen viewing an hour before sleeping and reading an uplifting book until you fall asleep.
How Do We Heal From Trauma Without Therapy?
The decision to seek therapy or not solely depends on the impact of trauma on the person. If a person is moderately or severely impacted and if it’s impairing their ability to function well in significant areas of life, such as his personal and professional life, then therapy would be needed. It’s important to note that severe trauma may require professional intervention, and self-care practices should be used in conjunction with, not as a replacement for, professional help.
If the person can navigate through these trying times well, showing good signs of improvement through self-care, implementing some healing practices, and seeking the help of loved ones, therapy wouldn’t be needed. Self-care can be a powerful tool in trauma recovery, but it’s important to remember that severe trauma may require professional intervention.
Final Thoughts!
Healing from psychological trauma is a journey, and it’s okay to seek help along the way. Remember, you can choose to go through pain or grow through pain. The 7 powerful healing tips for recovering from psychological trauma, as shared in this article, are tools to help you grow through your pain and lead a meaningful life. By practising self-care, seeking professional help, and leaning on your support system, you can move towards a brighter future. I hope you found the article to be informative. Please feel free to reach out to me here if you need any psychological support or if you are someone navigating through psychological trauma. Your mental health matters and help is always available.