Did you know that about half of American adults experience major trauma at some point in their lives? Whether this manifests in post-traumatic stress disorder or other problems, it is important to acknowledge psychological trauma and treat it with self-care.
Have you ever wondered how you can get help to work through your past traumas? Here are some tips and coping tools for taking care of yourself and your traumatic stress.
1. Diagnose the Root Causes
When you first start to learn about your past traumas, your therapist will probably work with you to diagnose the root causes. Sometimes it is obvious, so if you know what they are, you can explain.
However, if you suffered from trauma and you do not know where it began, it might require a deeper dive. For instance, adverse childhood experiences can often be the cause of pain and emotional trauma when you are an adult.
Sometimes the root cause is a singular event that shapes your psychological trauma, but it can also be a series of events. For example, many people experience ongoing abuse in their childhood and cannot point to one specific day or time that was the catalyst.
2. Exposure Therapy
If needed, your therapist or doctor may want you to work on exposure therapy. This is where you expose yourself to the thing that caused you trauma in small doses until you can cope with it.
Exposure therapy is often used as one of the coping tools for fears and phobias. For example, if you are afraid of heights, you may start by going to smaller heights, then progressing to higher places.
One of the keys to exposure therapy is taking it slow. If you have major trauma, you should definitely let your medical team know when you want to scale it back.
3. Get Exercise Regularly
Exercise is a great way that you can regulate your life and your schedule, as well as balance your mind and body. If you feel like you are constantly stewing in your traumatic stress, you can relieve that tension by sweating it out.
You do not have to be an exercise guru in order to benefit from it. Try a beginner’s class at your local gym or get out for a walk every day to start.
Exercise releases endorphins, which are essential to balancing your brain chemicals. This is where the popular phrase, “runner’s high” comes from.
4. Talk It Out
Cognitive therapy is essential for making sure you have the coping tools to deal with your past traumas. A therapist can help you to identify the cause of your trauma if you do not already know.
In addition, a licensed professional will be able to give you the correct self-care regimen for your specific needs. Although sources like the internet can help, a personalized plan can keep you on track.
Your therapist can also check in with you regularly as an accountable party to see if you are doing things correctly or need extra help. They will likely have a treatment plan and an estimated time period for your progress.
5. Build a Social Circle
Friends are very important when you deal with emotional trauma because they can provide an outlet and a shoulder to lean on. In addition, you may even have friends who have gone through the same experiences that you have.
If you have a therapy group or support group you attend, these are also wonderful places to make new friends. You can establish goals together and even be accountability partners for each other.
You can work with your friends on your coping tools and engage in fun new hobbies, such as exercise, travel, or crafting.
6. Try Mindfulness
Mindfulness is being aware of your thoughts and trying to stay grounded when you think of your emotional trauma. It is one of the best coping tools you can use to acknowledge how you feel about your trauma.
When you have negative or intrusive thoughts, try to be aware of them and sit with them for a while. You can experience the feeling that your body needs to, and move on.
Along with mindfulness, you should also try to practice affirmation and steer your thoughts in a positive direction. After you go through the uncomfortable feelings, tell yourself how much you love and value your own self-worth.
7. Nourish Your Body
Proper nutrition is one of the keys to staying healthy as you learn coping tools for your past traumas. When you have a balanced diet, you can get proper sleep and fuel your body for exercise.
Try to consume more fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and protein. It may be tempting to indulge in sweets and salty snacks when you feel down, but this can lead to more feelings of depression.
Do not limit yourself or punish yourself when you eat too much junk food. It is also all right to have a treat once in a while.
8. Take It One Step at a Time
No matter what, recovery is not always a linear process. You should be gentle with yourself and know that any progress is good progress, and setbacks are natural.
Traumatic stress may still pop up from time to time, even if you think that you have healed. You can acknowledge the emotional trauma and use your coping tools to tackle it when it arrives.
You should always have your psychologist or therapist to talk to in case you have problems with your recovery timeline.
Learn to Cope With Past Traumas
You should not have to suffer alone if you have gone through physical or emotional trauma. With these coping techniques for past traumas, you can start getting the help that you need and set yourself on the journey to healing.
Would you like to learn more about all of the ways that you can take care of your mind and body? Check out our site for more advice and tips for living your best life.
