Living with traumatic stress can feel like a never-ending nightmare. You may feel like you're constantly on edge, and that any little thing could set you off. It's hard to enjoy life when you're always anxious and worried. The good news is that there are ways to cope and overcome traumatic stress. In this article, I will share four of the best methods for managing and overcoming traumatic stress because you deserve to be happy!
Overview
Traumatic stress is a condition that can occur after a person experiences or witnesses a disaster or traumatic event, such as a terrorist attack, an accident, a serious injury, pandemics, natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, or a violent attack. People who suffer from traumatic stress may feel unable to cope with the aftermath of the event and may experience a range of symptoms, including nightmares, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, anxiety, and depression. In some cases, trauma can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a more severe form of the condition that can be debilitating. There are treatment options available for people who suffer from traumatic stress, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, medication, brainwave entrainment, deep breathing, and natural supplements. With proper treatment and guidance, many people can recover from the effects of trauma and live happy, successful lives.
Before diving into the different methods of treating traumatic stress, it's important to clearly understand what caused it, and identify the physical or mental health problems the traumatic event triggered. Traumatic stress is usually caused by a single shocking event or a series of events that are perceived as life-threatening to the subconscious mind. The trauma may be physical, such as being in a car accident, or emotional, such as witnessing a loved one die. People who have experienced trauma often feel like they are in danger even when they are not. This can lead to anxiety, negative intrusive thoughts, and avoidance behaviors.
4 traumatic events that can lead to traumatic stress
- Physical abuse: Being hit, kicked, slapped, punched, tortured, or otherwise physically harmed violently and constantly.
- Sexual assault: Being raped, molested, or otherwise sexually violated without consent.
- Exposure to war or combat: Serving in the military during wartime or witnessing violence can lead to trauma.
- Emotional abuse: This is when someone else uses a repeating pattern to break down another person's self-esteem. Being constantly belittled, mocked, neglected, manipulated, yelled at, or otherwise made to feel worthless can lead to emotional trauma. This type of abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse, and in some cases may be more difficult to identify.
These are only a few examples of traumatic events someone might experience. It’s important to understand that each person will respond differently to a traumatic event. Some people may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while others may only experience milder forms of chronic stress.
When left unchecked, traumatic stress can lead to a number of physical and mental health problems. That's why it's so important to beware of any physical symptoms or changes to your mental health following a traumatic event.
What are the symptoms of traumatic stress?
The symptoms of traumatic stress can vary from person to person and may depend on the severity of the trauma experienced and the individual risk factors. Some common symptoms of traumatic stress include:
- Intrusive thoughts or images of the event
- Flashbacks or dreams of the event
- Avoidance of people, places, or things that remind you of the event
- Changes in mental health, negative changes in mood and thinking, such as feeling hopelessness, guilt, sad, anger, fear or shame
- Changes in physical health, increased anxiety or irritability, unexplained aches, feeling tired, headaches, being very jumpy and easily startled, or gastrointestinal distress
- Trouble concentrating and sleeping
- Losing contact with family and friends
Personal or individual risk factors can also increase the likelihood of developing more severe symptoms. Some risk factors for traumatic stress include:
- A family history of mental illness
- Substance abuse problems
- Chronic health problems
- Problems with employment or housing
- Lack of social support
- Poor mental health or constant negative emotions
The intensity and frequency of these symptoms can range from mild to severe and can fluctuate over time. In some cases, the symptoms may not appear until years after the traumatic event occurred.
What are the five stages of a traumatic event?
A traumatic event is a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that changes the brain's plasticity. It can be caused by an event that is physically or emotionally harmful, or by witnessing something that is harming others. The effects of trauma can be long-lasting and can lead to lasting changes in mood, behavior, mental disorders, and physical health problems.
Trauma is often categorized into five stages: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
- In the first stage, denial, people may try to convince themselves that the traumatic event did not happen or that it was not as bad as it seems. This can be a defense mechanism to help protect against the pain of reality.
- In the second stage, anger, people may lash out at those around them or blame themselves for what happened. They may feel hopeless and helpless.
- In the third stage, bargaining, people may try to make deals with God or other Higher Powers in an attempt to change the past. For example, they may promise to be better people if only the trauma could be undone.
- In the fourth stage, depression, people may withdraw from others and lose interest in activities they once enjoyed. They may feel numb and disconnected from the world around them.
- In the final stage, acceptance, people come to terms with what happened and begin to rebuild their lives. This does not mean that they are happy about what happened; rather, they have reached a place of understanding. Each person deals with trauma in their own way and there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do so. However, awareness of the different stages of trauma can help to facilitate healing and recovery.
4 Ways to Cope and Overcome traumatic events
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to coping with and overcoming traumatic events. However, there are some effective and natural things that can be helpful for most people.
Knowledge Is Power
But knowledge about yourself and your body is self empowerment. It is critical to understand how your body, brain, and mind work together during a traumatic event. When the body goes into fight-or-flight mode, the brain shuts off certain functions, like short-term memory and higher reasoning, in order to focus on survival. This can make it difficult to process what is happening at the moment and may lead to confusion, disorientation, and difficulty making decisions which can last long after the event is over.
The first step in overcoming trauma is to educate yourself about how your brain and body respond to stress and what you can do to help them return to a state of balance. The moment a person is experiencing a traumatic event, the autonomic nervous system or ANS gets triggered. The ANS is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, which is an evolutionary mechanism that helps us survive dangerous situations. When the ANS is activated, it causes a release of stress hormones, like adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones increase heart rate and blood pressure, constrict blood vessels, and divert blood from non-essential functions like digestion and immunity. In addition, the autonomic nervous system also inhibits the release of hormones that promote growth and healing.
All of these physical changes prepare the body to either fight or flee from a perceived threat. However, when the threat is over, the autonomic nervous system should return to its normal state. Unfortunately, when the traumatic event is so emotionally intense, the person’s autonomic nervous system gets stuck in fight-or-flight mode causing the central nervous system and the brain to overload to the point of causing the neurons to stop working or even die. This can lead to negative long-term effects, like post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD.
This is why it is so important to understand how your brain and autonomic nervous system work, and what you can do to help them return to a state of balance.
Intentionally affect the physiology of your body
There are several things you can do to bring your body and brain into balance, including:
- Breathing exercises: deep breathing helps to activate the parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for the “rest and digest” response. This can help to lower heart rate and blood pressure and promote relaxation.
- Raise your Gaba levels: Gaba is a neurotransmitter that helps to inhibit the fight-or-flight response. Gaba Calming Support supplement will help you turn off the traumatic ruminating thoughts.
- Brainwave entrainment and Meditation: When you meditate, you help to slow down the brainwaves and bring them into a state of alpha waves. Alpha waves are associated with relaxation and healing. This process is accelerated by using brainwave entrainment, which is a method of using sound waves to slow down neural activity.
- Exercise: Exercise releases endorphins, which are hormones that have pain-relieving and mood-boosting effects. In addition, exercise helps to increase levels of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which are all neurotransmitters that have been shown to be effective in treating depression.
- Visualization: Positive emotions and visualizing yourself in a safe place can help to lower stress levels and further promote relaxation. This is a powerful tool because your brain doesn't know the difference between what is real and what is imagined.
- Increase blood flow, and oxygen intake: Every morning, drink 24 oz of water and walk 20 minutes like you are late for work to increase blood flow and oxygen to the brain. When you keep practicing this for two weeks, you'll be more optimistic and have a better day.
- Brain health supporting supplements: These include omega-three fatty acids, magnesium, probiotics, and vitamins B6, B12, and D. These nutrients are essential for the proper functioning of the brain and the nervous system.
There are many other things you can do to help your body and brain recover from traumatic stress. However, these techniques are some of the most effective and evidence-based methods that promote healing.
The above information is critical to understand and internalize because it gives you the ability to take control of your body and mind during and after a traumatic event.
Kill the ANTs - Automatic Negative Thoughts
Kill the ANTs is a very effective Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Our brains get infested by daily negative thoughts that rob our joy and steal our happiness. Every time you have a thought, your brain releases chemicals to make your body feel the way you think and vice versa. For this reason, it is very important to be aware of what you are thinking.
Thoughts are real and they have a direct impact on how you feel and how you behave. They are very powerful and can make your mind and body feel good or they can make you feel bad. Every cell in your body is affected by every thought you have. That is why when people get emotionally upset they often develop physical symptoms, such as headaches or stomachaches.
With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, you can train your thoughts to be positive and hopeful. Once you learn about and are aware of your thoughts and emotions, you can choose to think good thoughts and feel good.
Team up with a Brain Health Professional Coach
It is important to seek professional help if you are struggling to cope on your own. A mental health professional coach can provide support and guidance as you work to heal from your trauma.
Your coach can help you to understand your thoughts and emotions, work through difficult memories, and develop healthy coping mechanisms. In addition, your coach can provide support and accountability as you work to make changes in your life.
Our Amen Clinics Brain Health Certified professionals can help you with that. We look at traumatic stress from a holistic perspective, taking into account your diet, exercise, nutritional deficiencies, toxins, stress levels, and negative habits. We can create a personalized and natural plan to help you overcome traumatic events. When you follow our proven and time-tested methodology the changes become permanent. You can finally be free from the past and move on with your life feeling energetic, productive, and confident.
To learn more about our approach to brain health and traumatic stress, please contact us today. We offer a free 30-minute consultation to discuss how we can help you heal and thrive. Schedule a call now!
The first step is always the hardest, but it is also the most important. Taking action to heal from your trauma is a sign of strength and courage. It shows that you are committed to taking control of your life and your future. So, take the first step today and reach out for help.
I trust you found this information helpful. We are God's highest form of creation, we are spiritual beings living in a physical body. With the right mindset, tools, and proper support, you can survive and overcome any traumatic event.
Thank you for reading! If you have any questions or would like to share your own experience with trauma, please leave a comment below. Take care!
If you found this article interesting, please share it with your friends and family. Knowledge is power!
Thanks for reading!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mental health professional?
A mental health professional is someone who provides diagnosis, treatment, and support to people who have brain health issues. Mental health professionals can be psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, counselors, life coaches, or therapists. They use a variety of techniques to help people with mental health issues, including medication, brainwave entrainment, brain supplements, talk therapy, and behavior therapy. Mental health professionals also work with families and caregivers to provide support and education about brain and mental health. In some cases, they may also provide crisis intervention and referral services. Mental health professionals play an important role in helping people with mental health issues live happy and productive lives.
What is the difference between Chronic stress and traumatic stress?
Stress is a normal part of life that can help us deal with difficult situations. However, when stress becomes overwhelming and persistent, it can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health. There are two main types of stress: chronic stress and traumatic stress.
Chronic stress is caused by sustained exposure to stressful situations, such as job insecurity, heavy workload, poor relationships, or caring for a loved one with a chronic illness. This type of stress can lead to problems such as anxiety, depression, and trouble sleeping.
Traumatic stress, on the other hand, is caused by a one-time event or repeating abuse to break down another person's self-esteem, such as a natural disaster, terrorist attacks, witnessing a violent crime, or sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. This type of stress can lead to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which is characterized by intrusive thoughts, flashbacks, and avoidance of anything that reminds the person of the trauma. While both types of stress can be detrimental to our health, it is important to be aware of the differences between them in order to seek the appropriate treatment.
What is Traumatic Stress?
The American Psychological Association (APA) defines traumatic stress as "the reaction people have to a deeply distressing or disturbing event." A traumatic event can be something that occurs suddenly, such as a car accident, childhood sexual abuse, a serious injury or it can be the result of a long-term stressful situation, such as childhood abuse. Traumatic stress can also occur in response to a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane.
What is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious mental health condition that can occur after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and avoidance of anything that reminds the person of the trauma. Post traumatic stress disorder can have a profound effect on a person's life, making it difficult to work, maintain relationships, and even perform everyday activities. Treatment for post traumatic stress disorder often includes therapy and medication. With proper treatment, many people with PTSD are able to regain control of their lives.
What is Acute stress disorder?
Acute stress disorder (ASD) is a condition that can occur after someone experiences a traumatic event. Symptoms of ASD typically begin within three days of the event and can last for up to one month. People with ASD may experience flashbacks, nightmares, and feeling detached from their surroundings. They may also have difficulty sleeping, concentrating, or eating. While ASD is not as well-known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it can be just as debilitating. If you or someone you know is struggling with ASD, it's important to seek professional help. With treatment, people with ASD can learn to manage their symptoms and live full lives.
What is The American Psychiatric Association?
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is a medical specialty society recognized worldwide. Its membership includes over 36,000 psychiatric physicians from the United States and Canada. The APA is the largest psychiatric association in the world, and its members work to advance public awareness, research, and treatment of mental illness. The APA works to advocate for the rights of people with mental illness, and its members are involved in all aspects of mental health care. The APA also provides resources for education and training in psychiatry.
Please note: This article is for informational purposes only and should not be used as medical advice. If you have any questions or concerns about your health, please speak with a doctor or other healthcare professional. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment plan.
