Top 5 ways to help overcome a recent traumatic event

Definition of trauma

There are diagnostic manuals that highlight symptoms experienced over a period of time which can form a diagnosis of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but this post is aimed at those of you who have suffered a traumatic event over the past days, weeks, couple of months and is feeling distressed by all these unfamiliar experiences. I may post other blogs that focus more on PTSD but for now we shall understand trauma in its most broad sense. Trauma can be seen as anything that has negatively impacted on the way you see yourself, others and the world. This can be through experiencing an event, witnessing an event, or hearing of an event through others called vicarious trauma.

What are post-traumatic stress symptoms?

Post trauma symptoms often feel unfamiliar and different to other mental health related difficulties.

Common symptoms are:

• Feeling stressed and in shock after what happened. -Stirring of emotions such as confused, angry or fearful.

• Problems with sleep such as nightmares, struggling to get to sleep or struggling to stay asleep. not feeling as rested in the morning.

• Intrusive memories of what happened, reliving it in your mind

• Feeling numb or disconnected to yourself and others around you.

• Withdrawing from others, isolating yourself can be normal initially after experiencing a traumatic event however if this continues this can become problematic

• Avoiding situations that are related to what happened. this is called ‘Behavioural avoidance’. for example, following a car crash a person may avoid getting back in the car or avoid the road where the accident happened.

• Avoiding thinking about what happened. this is called ‘Cognitive avoidance’. Unfortunately trying your best not to think about what happened often leads to us having more of these thoughts and that pressure can lead us to become fearful of these thoughts.
  

5 things I can do to help myself

1. Take each day at a time. be kind to yourself. It can take weeks or months to feel like you are getting back to your normal self. Most people heal naturally from a traumatic event, we eventually process what happens with time. One of the differences between people who naturally heal from a traumatic event vs people who go on to have Post traumatic stress disorder is that those that heal sooner see their symptoms as temporary and the effect on their life as being normal, understandable and expected given what you have been through.

2.

When ready, talk about what happened with people you love or trust. Don't worry if doing this upsets you, makes you angry or cry. These are natural normal emotions. These emotions along with images, thoughts, and physical symptoms can surface when talking about it or thinking about what happened. This normal and allowing this to happen is better than bottling it up and avoiding talking or thinking about the event.

3.

Try to be healthy. Look after yourself, eat well, exercise, get back into normal routines when you feel able to. but take it easy. Avoid drugs and alcohol. These can numb the emotions and stop us from processing what has happened naturally. Alcohol and drug use can create other problems in addition to continued symptoms of post traumatic stress, such as difficulties within relationships, work, addiction and financial problems. Think of Alcohol and

Drugs as a coping stratgy promoting avoidance. And avoidance is a symptom of Post traumatic stress disorder and something that keeps the trauma stuck in our minds unable to process in a healthy way.

4.

Try using grounding techniques when feeling distressed. If you are experiencing intense flashbacks or nightmares and these images and sensations feel like they are happening now or you are in the trauma, Try to bring yourself back into the present so you can evaluate what happened and remind yourself 'that was then, this is now'. It is important we help our minds distinguish what has happened in the past and that the threat has gone now. The mind can get confused and overprotective. It sends you these distressing symptoms as it tries to make sense of them. It's alerting you and making you feel a sense of threat to protect you from something it thinks is happening. Remind yourself that it is not happening. -Use your senses- Move your feet, feel the ground under your feet, what does it feel like? stamp them if you like, tap your feet together and focus on how that feels and the sound that creates. -Touch a nearby object, the easiest may be rubbing your thighs or a chair or sofa if sat down focus

your attention on the feel of the material. is it soft, smooth, course? -Bring your attention to your breath, slow down your breathing if it feels quick. Slow, calm, deep breaths can help soothe the body and mind and help us connect to what is happening now. -Grounding statements- Say the date, the time, where you are right now and that you are safe to help. ‘It’s the 2nd of February 2022, its 1pm and I am in my lounge with my family. I am safe, there are no dangers. The accident happened 4 years ago and I survived, they are just memories, they cannot hurt me.' These are called grounding statements.

5.

If you are still struggling with your symptoms or they feel like they are getting worse, seek professional support from a Psychotherapist. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence recommend Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and EMDR as the first line talking therapies for trauma. In my experience working with people who have Post traumatic stress both in 1-1 sessions and in workshops. I have noticed many people see a positive difference from just a few sessions to allow healthy discussion and reflection of the traumatic event, sessions focused on education around trauma, useful information (some of which I have touched on in this article) and useful strategies to help them recover. There is plenty of support out there whether it is through NHS services such as IAPT. In Lancashire this service is called Mindsmatter, or you may be able to seek support sooner through therapists in private practices. Please do not suffer in silence. People who go on to be diagnosed with Post traumatic stress symptoms can experience other distressing symptoms such as depression and Suicidal thoughts.