A car accident. A school shooting. An unexpected family death. A tornado. We could probably formulate a long list of individual events that may leave a person traumatized. Feelings that result can be a sense of horror, helplessness, and in extreme cases a threat of serious injury or death. These events can be experienced firsthand or viewed online or on television. It is completely normal to have feelings of fear, loss, grief and confusion from a traumatic event.
For many the trauma begins to resolve within three months. For others, however, those feelings never subside and instead become debilitating. The person may re-live the event over and over in their minds or they might take extraordinary measures to avoid thinking about the event or coming in contact with common touchstones. (Think about the site of a car accident, for example.)
Other forms of anxiety and depression can also come into play as a result. Unchecked, the trauma that results from some sort of shocking event can impact relationships, mental health and physical well-being.
When do you know if you need help? These are some signs a person needs help dealing with trauma:
- excessive worry
- crying frequently
- an increase in irritability, anger, and frequent arguing
- wanting to be alone most of the time
- feeling anxious or fearful, overwhelmed by sadness, confused
- having trouble thinking clearly and concentrating, and difficulty making decisions
- increased alcohol and/or substance use
- increased physical (aches, pains) complaints such as headaches
- trouble with your “nerves”
Getting Help
The treatment for trauma brought on by an event is often similar to that of other types of trauma. At LifeLens, we evaluate your particular situation and symptoms and then choose from a variety of psychotherapies. On some occasions, patients may benefit from anti-anxiety medications as well. Our goal is to find a treatment path that will address your trauma and resolve the feelings that have created the emotional conflict within.
Working with you to identify an effective approach to therapy is what we do best at LifeLens