How To Recover From Emotional Trauma
The thought of recovering from emotional trauma can feel daunting at times. For many, it can feel impossible. You may be unsure of where to start, or you may be unsure of how to start.
The important thing to know is that recovering from emotional trauma is possible, and throughout this article, we will discuss ways to help with the recovery process. It’s also key to note that there’s no one way to handle recovery and if one particular option isn’t the best fit for you there are other options available.
Before I dive in, it’s important to realize that emotional trauma comes in all different shapes and sizes. What may be traumatic for you may not be for others, but that doesn’t mean the trauma doesn’t exist.
For example, a traumatic event could be something like a serious car accident, or it could also be something like abuse or neglect.
The healing process does take time, and the healing process is not always linear and it can get ugly at times. Your path to recovery may include detours and delays or other setbacks, but that’s okay.
This article will iscuss the stages of recovery and important reminders to keep at the top of your mind throughout the recovery process
Stages of recovery
Unfortunately, trauma isn’t just recovered from overnight. Healing from trauma usually includes multiple tasks to work through.
Pre-trauma, thoughts and feelings
These include how you acted and reacted before the trauma. It’s important to remember this as you begin the recovery process. They should be the general state of mind you were in both before and when the trauma occurred.
Overthinking and obsession.
During this stage, your brain is processing the trauma to help you understand exactly what happened. You may have feelings and intrusive memories that feel like they’re never-ending during this step.
Centralizing the event.
For many, this will be a turning point in the healing process. You’ll begin to take note of how the trauma has changed your life and how you want to move forward. During this step, you may find comfort in journaling and speaking to a healthcare professional or another trusted person in your life.
Regaining control.
This can be the most challenging stage and step for many people. During this stage, you will begin to take active steps to cope with your symptoms and to change your life and overall mindset. This will include how you cope with emotional triggers and how you can maintain control of emotional and traumatic triggering situations.
Mastering your feelings.
This is when you will begin to adjust to your new life post-trauma. During this stage, you will slowly start to better. With your coping skills, it’s important to note the trauma will still affect you by this stage, but it should no longer be controlling you.
Please note that your personal recovery journey may not follow these steps to a T. These steps are meant to be a framework and overall helpful path to get you started on your road to trauma recovery.
Important reminders throughout the recovery process
The road to recovery is not a race.
One of the most important things to remember when healing from an emotional trauma is that there’s no set amount of time that recovery will take. It’s very easy to read other stories and hear others' experiences, but it’s important to note that their path to recovery may not be the same for you. Your own journey to healing is unique to you and your life.
Recovery is possible
In the early stages of emotional trauma, it may feel impossible to move on. It’s critically important to remember that help is available and that you can move past your trauma.
If you or someone you know is struggling to cope after a traumatic experience, reach out to me for trauma therapy. We would love to support you on this journey of healing.