Healing From Past Trauma Is Possible, Here's How To Start
Trauma is the emotional response to an overwhelming and emotionally or physically threatening event. If you’ve been through a highly stressful series of events or even a single high-stress event, you’ve gone through a trauma.
Moving on and healing from trauma is something that is critical to mental health. While it is not always easy, it can be done.
Feelings of stress, helplessness, and panic are common after these events, and luckily, there are ways to get through it.
By the end of this post, you’ll have new ways to start that healing process.
Make Sense of What Occurred
This is a hard, but necessary step. Although healing may feel like it’s out of reach, it is obtainable.
Journal your experience–write out what happened, and what you remember.
Go through the five senses and write out what you recall
Talk to someone
This can be a healthcare professional, a friend, a family member, a significant other, or anyone who makes you feel like you are in a safe space.
Join a support group
Although it may feel easier in the moment to ignore or forget the traumatic experience, it’s important to face feelings head-on instead of avoiding them.
Support groups can provide a great sense of community and help you not feel like you’re alone with what you’re going through.
Be Open to Help and Support
It’s not uncommon to want to figure things out on your own. While it’s not uncommon, it’s also just as important to remember that help and support is out there. That can be in the form of the earlier mentioned support groups, talking to a professional, or talking to someone you trust.
Don’t Rush the Process
For successful healing, it’s important to not rush the healing process by taking shortcuts or ignoring how you’re feeling. Healing takes time–it’s a process, and healing, unfortunately won’t occur overnight.
There will be successful progress and there will also be setbacks. It’s important to remember that these are normal or typical and expected in the healing process.
When those negative days or moments happen, remind yourself to stay positive and calm. The moment will pass, and recovery can and will still occur.
Do Your Best Not to Self-Isolate
This goes along with the previous steps. Be open to talking to others–especially ones who’ve had the same experience. Try to just get fresh air, or keep moving when you’re able to. Letting others in can be an important part of recovery.
Listen to Your Mind and Body
You know yourself better than anyone–fortunately, your mind and body will naturally tell you how to heal.
This can be attained by doing what makes you happy. Those things include:
Eating healthy and filling meals
Rest when you’re able to
Aim to get into a regular sleep schedule
Spend time with friends and family
Do activities and hobbies that bring you joy
Take time to treat yourself, and do what makes you feel good.
Get Back to Your Routine
Our sense of “normal” is often, if not always, derailed by a trauma. Try your best to return to your normal day-to-day schedule as soon as possible. Taking small steps to get back to your old normal but also realizing there could be changes is an important part of the healing process.
Celebrate and Embrace the “Good” in Your Life
A common phrase is “It’s okay to not feel okay.” While that’s correct, it’s important to also be okay with feeling joy and embracing positive moments. It’s okay to be happy and enjoy life. In fact, it’s great to find comfort or joy in happy times and events in life.
There’s no one right or wrong way to start the healing process. Hopefully, these tips above get you started on the road to healing and recovery. Don't hesitate to reach out to learn more about trauma therapy.