The Best and Worst Ways to Cope with Trauma

Almost all of us experience trauma at some point in our lives. Trauma can be caused by road accidents, unexpected deaths of loved ones, abuse, illness, natural disaster, violence and a range of other things.

Being able to move on from trauma is important – untreated PTSD can lead to debilitating depression and anxiety. But just how should you cope with trauma?

This post lists some of the best and worst ways to manage your trauma.

Here are some of the best ways to cope with trauma:

Build a support network

Having supportive people around you can prevent you from falling into a depression. Ideally you need people who are understanding and how you can open up to.

If you feel that family and friends are not appropriate for discussing your trauma with, consider joining a support group.

These groups can allow you to meet other people who have experienced the same trauma. There are support groups for different types of trauma victims including veterans, victims of sexual assault, survivors of natural disasters and bereaved parents. 

Practise relaxation techniques

Relaxation techniques are a great way to relieve stress caused by trauma. Meditation is a popular relaxation strategy that could be worth trying – you can meditate practically anywhere whenever you have a few spare minutes.

Alternatively, you can explore stressbusters such as exercise, laughter, listening to music and taking herbal medication. 

Engage in healthy hobbies

Immersing oneself in hobbies can not just be a good distraction from anxious thoughts but a way of moving on by focusing on a new goal.

This hobby could be anything that appeals to you from gardening to baking to swimming. Just make sure that your hobby doesn’t cause you to socially isolate yourself or ignore responsibilities.

Explore your feelings through writing or art

A lot of people find that writing and art are a great outlet for expressing their feelings. You could write a novel, keep up a blog, write poems or simply keep a journal.

When it comes to creating art, you could try painting or try writing music. Using your writing and art, you may even be able to connect to people who have gone through the same trauma as you.

Talk to a therapist

Sometimes it’s hard to find someone who is willing to listen or who is not somehow involved in your trauma. In these cases, it’s worth talking to a counsellor or a therapist.

Even if you feel you have a supportive network, seeking out therapy is still worthwhile – a therapist that specialises in PTSD will be able to recommend treatment options that could help you deal with symptoms like panic attacks, nightmares, flashbacks or guilty feelings.

When talking to a therapist, you can be certain that anything you say will be kept confidential.

And here are some of the worst ways to cope with trauma:

Ignore and suppress traumatic memories

Ignoring trauma won’t make it go away. While some people are able to create mental blocks, they may still feel a sense of unresolved conflict can then be harder to treat.

Traumatic memories may also resurface later. It is better to confront these memories and make peace with them. As disturbing these memories may be, it is possible to desensitise yourself to them through therapy and by sharing them with other people. 

Resort to substance abuse

A lot of people resort to substance abuse as a quick way of numbing their feelings. Of course, the comedown and withdrawal of drugs and alcohol can often exacerbate these feelings.

Substance abuse can also create its own sources of trauma from careless accidents while intoxicated to developing chronic illnesses.

Therefore you should avoid self-medicating with substances. If you have already turned to substances as a coping mechanism, consider whether a substance recovery program or addiction rehab with therapy may be beneficial. 

Surround yourself with toxic people

Certain toxic people can add to your trauma. This could include people who are dismissive of your trauma or people who force you to relive it (such as leaving an abusive partner for another abusive partner).

It is important to avoid these people as much as you can.

If you cannot avoid them because you live with them, make sure that you are actively seeking out people to talk to who are supportive – such as fellow trauma victims, understanding friends or a therapist. 

Internalize guilt

Many people experience guilt or shame around traumatic events. You may feel that if you’d acted differently you may have been able to save other victims or save yourself, and there may be a sense of anger and deep regret.

It’s important not to wallow in these feelings and to focus instead on healing and looking forward. You cannot change the past, but you can change the future.

Consider what positive changes you can make to avoid future trauma and what you can do to prevent others experiencing this trauma. 

Bottle up your feelings

Some of us don’t want to burden others with our feelings or want to come across as strong and brave. This can lead to negative feelings being bottled up, which can cause them to intensify.

Eventually these feelings will come out in the form of a breakdown. Sharing these feelings now could prevent this from happening.

If you don’t have anyone close to you that you feel comfortable opening up to, make sure to look into a therapist or join a support group. 

Conclusion

By understanding the right and wrong ways to cope with trauma, you can ensure that you take the right recovery route.

For the most part, healing is reliant on the support of others – you need to have someone you can open up to who isn’t a toxic influence.

Support groups and therapists are the best option if you don’t have friends or family members you can talk to.

Immersing yourself in hobbies and finding other ways to express your feelings (such as writing and art) can help too. You can also explore relaxation strategies including taking herbal supplements, but you should avoid substances like recreational drugs and alcohol which could make you feel worse. 

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