Background:
My name is Sandy R., wife and mother. I have been diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) https://www.samhsa.gov. It was not until my husband, a USMC war veteran, presented with PTSD symptoms that I realized I had it. Oh, how I wished I had known sooner, and maybe would have spared me from much suffering. My goal for this blog is to help inform others of all things related to trauma in the hopes of preventing what I had to go through, years of trauma symptoms that I could never explain, and feeling that something is just not right.
What Does It Mean to Be Trauma Informed?
Top Signs You Are Trauma Informed
- Understand the Impact of Trauma:
Trauma can impact an individual and have a profound impact on mental, physical, and social well-being. An individual can experience trauma in both childhood and adulthood. The traumatic experiences a child has are often referred to as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES), and the higher they are, the more likely it is that they will develop PTSD. Knowing trauma symptoms is essential to being able to recognize them in yourself or others:
-flashbacks -intrusive thoughts or memories
-night terrors -triggers
-avoidance -numbness/dissociation: using drugs or alcohol to numb
-hypervigilance -trouble sleeping
-anxiety -depression
Trauma leads to feelings of mistrust, feeling on guard all the time. Healing occurs better in a space where the individual can feel completely safe. This space can be somewhere they can find support and understanding.
- Understanding Avoidance of Re-Traumatization:
Healing from trauma can take time and considerable work in treatment, but it is well worth the effort. While an individual is working on addressing their trauma, any further re-traumatization should be avoided since it can set them back.
- Recovery Via Treatment:
Trauma can cause PTSD, and receiving treatment can be a multimodal approach. Some individuals can seek help from an array of treatment professionals. The most mainstream approach is to receive care from a therapist or other mental health professional. There are varying types of treatment like “talk therapy”, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), or even Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Some individuals may seek medical treatment in the form of temporary use of medication.
- Empowerment Through Education and Resilience:
Trauma-affected individuals can progress their healing journey by becoming informed about their condition. Since trauma symptoms are different in everyone, it is beneficial to learn about each person’s unique presentation. Empowerment will foster a sense of strength. By receiving the multimodal treatment, traumatized individuals will become stronger and more resilient.