While many of us have experienced trauma, it remains a complex and often misunderstood concept. For some, the signs of trauma are clear as day. However, many may have trouble determining whether they are struggling with trauma.
Trauma can impact all aspects of a person's life without them realizing it. After all, trauma is not something people want to think about. Trauma leads many survivors to live in denial or even forget the traumatic event. In any case, learning to recognize the signs of trauma is imperative. Untreated trauma is likely to worsen and put you at greater risk of mental health disorders, including addiction.
NorthStar Transitions helps people struggling with substance use disorder (SUD) and other mental health conditions. Many of our clients are also recovering from trauma. The sad reality is that untreated trauma can lead many people to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol or develop other chronic mental health conditions. Fortunately, healing is possible with treatment.
Trauma is a natural response to a distressing or life-threatening event. It usually has emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms.
Many different events can be traumatic. Some well-known examples include natural disasters, terrorism, domestic violence, sexual assault, combat, the loss of loved ones, or accidents like car crashes. People can develop trauma from events they have witnessed as well as those they have personally experienced.
We often see trauma develop in people returning home from war. Struggling with trauma is incredibly common among veterans. The military population is at high risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, veterans are not the only people who can get PTSD.
PTSD is one-way trauma can continue impacting people's lives long after the traumatic event or events. Having PTSD can make people feel intense stress or fear even when they are not in harm's way.
The symptoms of PTSD vary from person to person. However, individuals who think they are struggling with trauma and PTSD should look out for:
According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), a medical diagnosis requires a person to experience PTSD for at least one month. This includes at least one re-experiencing and avoidance symptom, as well as two arousal and reactivity and cognition and mood symptoms.
Recognizing your symptoms is the first step toward healing. Professional mental health services can help you manage the impact of trauma on your overall mental well-being.
It is essential to understand the impact of trauma on your life. Unfortunately, trauma, especially if left untreated, can increase your risk of developing additional mental health concerns. In addition to developing PTSD, individuals may develop anxiety disorders, depression, or mood and personality disorders. They may turn to self-harm or self-medication to cope.
Struggling with trauma can also exacerbate symptoms of mental health conditions you may already have. You may attend therapy or take medications to help manage conditions like anxiety or depression. However, to maintain your overall well-being, you and your therapist must also address your trauma. That includes acknowledging your increased risk of SUD and practicing alternative coping mechanisms to avoid substance abuse.
As mentioned, untreated trauma can increase your risk of abusing substances. This is especially true if you don't have healthy ways of coping. Using alcohol or drugs to cope with trauma can be effective in the short term. However, it is incredibly dangerous, can worsen your symptoms in the long run, and often leads to addiction.
The relationship between trauma and substance use is easy to understand. When trauma makes you feel distressed, you may be tempted to use substances to escape that reality. Unfortunately, substance abuse weakens your confidence in your ability to handle distress on your own. It also often leads to other forms of distress, including SUD.
Fortunately, trauma-informed care can help you recover from SUD and trauma. Dual diagnosis treatment can also be beneficial if you have PTSD.
It is not uncommon for people to experience more than one mental health condition simultaneously. Because of this, NorthStar Transitions is dedicated to meeting clients where they are in their journey and addressing individual needs. Together, we can help you determine if you are struggling with trauma and what to do about it.
Recognizing the signs is the first way to determine if you are struggling with trauma. That may include:
You can manage these traumatic symptoms in many ways. The first and most important step is professional treatment. However, it may also help to talk to friends, family, and loved ones about your feelings or find a support group to meet with other survivors.
Despite the adverse consequences accompanied by untreated trauma, many survivors have trouble recognizing the signs of trauma in their lives. It can be easy to overlook or deny. Trauma is how we naturally and emotionally react to distressing situations. That may include a natural disaster, accident, or violent or sexual assault. Our brain tries to protect us from further trauma by keeping us hypervigilant or making us feel numb. However, this response can be debilitating in daily life and lead to other mental health concerns. Untreated trauma can put people at higher risk of substance abuse and addiction. If you feel you may be struggling with trauma, call NorthStar Transitions at (303) 558-6400 today.
