Understanding
Trauma
Emotional or
psychological trauma is an injury or damage to the spirit. It usually happens
after going through an extraordinarily distressing or frightening event in
one's life. It may lead to challenges in coping or functioning normally after
the event has taken place. While every person who experiences any emotional trauma
or traumatic event reacts differently, many others recover well. Usually, these
people have a proper support system, and their problems do not linger on for a
long time.
Usually, traumatic
experiences involve events that are life-threatening. Any situation which
leaves individual feeling alone and overwhelmed can also be traumatic. Emotional
trauma symptoms don't need to have a physical effect. It is, therefore,
necessary to recall that it is not the subjective event alone which determines
how traumatic the situation is, but the subjective emotional encounter of the
event as well leaves one feeling depressed. Usually, the more helplessness and
terror one feels, the more probable it is that a person would be traumatised.
Symptoms
and signs of emotional & psychological trauma
Many people go through
strong emotional or physical reactions immediately after they go through any
traumatic event. For most people, their feelings scatter for a few days or even
weeks or months. But, for some people, the symptoms of trauma may be extremely
severe and can also last longer.
Some
of the symptoms may include the following:
Behavioral:
1. Avoiding
places or activities that bring back the memories of the incident
2. Social
withdrawal and isolation
3. Missing
interest in activities that they enjoyed previously.
Cognitive:
1. Disturbing
thoughts of the episode occurred out of the blue
2. Visual
images of the event
3. Nightmares
4. Loss
of memory and concentration abilities
5. Confusion
6. Disorientation
7. Mood
swings
Psychological:
1. Too
much fear
2. Compulsive
and Obsessive Behavior
3. Detached
from emotions and other people
4. Depression
5. Emotional
numbing
6. Shame
7. Disbelief
8. Emotional
shock
9. Anger
10.
Irritability
11.
Panic attacks
12.
Anxiety
Physical:
1. Easily
astonished
2. Extreme
exhaustion and fatigue
3. Tachycardia
4. Insomnia
5. Edginess
6. Chronic
muscle patterns
7. Changes
in sleeping and eating patterns
8. Always
on the search for indications of potential danger by being extremely alert
9. Sexual
dysfunction
10.
Vague complaints of aches and pains
throughout the body
Conclusion
Having said that about
Emotional trauma symptoms, it is also a fact that many people can go for years
without getting any treatment. Eventually, as a period grows, their world also
becomes smaller. If in case the emotional trauma goes untreated it can get
devastating. It would then infiltrate every aspect of one’s life. Therefore, it
is essential to have it treated as early as possible.
