Signs You Need Therapy After Trauma
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Have you ever been through an experience that was life-threatening, unsafe, shocking, or dangerous? If so, you may find that life never really gets back to normal after this event.
In some cases, it’s going to be necessary to seek therapy for the situation and to help you overcome the trauma you experienced. The question is, when is this necessary?
Some of the signs it may be a good idea for you to seek professional therapy and help are found here.
Risky Behavior
If you are involved in a traumatic event, you probably didn’t have too much control over the situation that was going on. If you feel confident and like you are in control of your circumstances and life, you feel better.
Sometimes, if you have been involved in this type of situation you try to engage in risky behaviors to recreate that circumstance, or experiences and feelings that recreate the originally trauma. The goal is to recreate that original traumatic situation to gain a better sense of control over the situation, with the hope that the outcome is going to be different than what happened originally.
For many people, this isn’t a conscious decision. Some of the most common examples of this risky behavior include walking or driving alone in dangerous areas, starting arguments, and more.
Avoidance
It’s common to try and avoid anything that may trigger the ongoing feelings and thoughts related to the traumatic experience you had. If you are in this situation, you may begin to avoid the places, objects, or even people who caused the pain or fear. It’s a completely normal and expected reaction to this abnormal event – especially when you are in “survival mode.” No one wants to continue experiencing the pain the trauma caused, which is why avoidance is so common.
Re-Experiencing
According to information provided by the National Institute of Mental Health, the concept of re-experiencing is very common in individuals who have suffered from PTSD. Some of the symptoms of this include things like:
· Frightening thoughts
· Having recurring bad dreams
· Reliving the trauma again and again
Usually, the symptoms begin from a person’s thoughts and feelings. Situations, objects, and words that remind you of the event may also begin to trigger these re-experiencing symptoms.
Intrusion
Intrusion occurs if you are having persistent and often intrusive feelings and thoughts about the traumatic event. Sometimes they may be unrelated but are typically always disturbing. The more you experience this; you’ll find you are becoming more and more distressed because you have to continue reliving the trauma that you experienced. The issue is that you can’t find a way to turn these thoughts off, even though they make you feel so bad.
Seeking Therapy Can Help You Overcome Trauma
While it may seem as if there is no cure for the trauma or the ongoing issues you have, there is. With trauma therapy you can learn how to cope with these issues and turn things around for yourself.
