Symptoms
Many events may cause a traumatic response. Some trauma is caused from abuse. Other events that may be traumatic include accidents, injury, medical diagnosis, animal attacks, natural disasters, war and witnessing violence.
A traumatic event involves an experience or repeated experiences that overwhelm the individual's ability to cope or integrate the ideas, emotions and physical responses involved with that experience.
After a trauma a variety of symptoms might simply not go away including any of the following:
PHYSICAL REACTIONS
- Nervous Energy, jitters, muscle tension
- Upset stomach
- Rapid heart rate
- Dizziness
- Lack of energy
- Teeth grinding
- Feeling out of touch with your body
MENTAL REACTIONS
- Changes in the way you think about yourself
- Changes in the way you think about other people
- Heightened awareness of your surroundings
- Lessened awareness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Intrusive images
- Nightmares
EMOTIONAL REACTIONS
- Fear, inability to stay safe
- Sadness, grief, depression
- Guilt
- Anger, irritability
- Numbness
- Inability to enjoy anything
- Loss of trust
- Loss of self-esteem
- Emotional distance from others
- Intense or extreme feelings
BEHAVIOURAL REACTIONS
- Becoming withdrawn or isolated from others
- Easily startled
- Avoiding places or situations
- Becoming aggressive
- Change in eating habits
- Restlessness
- Increase or decrease in sexual activity
Whether or not you experienced trauma and/or abuse recently or in childhood, professional counselling can help .... It is never too late.