When you don't resolve trauma, your nervous system can stay stuck in survival mode, leading to persistent anxiety, depression, emotional numbness, flashbacks, nightmares, and difficulty forming healthy relationships, impacting mental, emotional, and physical health with issues like chronic pain, digestive problems, and substance abuse as coping mechanisms. Your body and mind continue to react as if the threat is still present, affecting sleep, concentration, self-esteem, and your overall ability to feel safe and connected, sometimes developing into conditions like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Delayed responses to trauma can include persistent fatigue, sleep disorders, nightmares, fear of recurrence, anxiety focused on flashbacks, depression, and avoidance of emotions, sensations, or activities that are associated with the trauma, even remotely.
THERAPEUTIC INTERVENTIONS FOR TRAUMA
If this unhealed trauma is not properly addressed, it can begin to manifest in several mental health disorders and negative behaviors. Those who are struggling with a substance use disorder are especially vulnerable to unhealed trauma, as drugs or alcohol can magnify the symptoms of a mental health disorder.
you can start by accepting the past. What has happened, has happened. You cannot change it. Allow yourself to feel emotions without judgment, and acknowledge that they are part of the human experience.
But in my experience, emotional healing happens in seven stages: awareness, acceptance, processing, release, growth, integration, and transformation. We don't move through these seven stages in a straight line, but we do pass through them all eventually on the path to healing.
“For trauma survivors, especially those who've experienced neglect or emotional invalidation, oversharing can feel like a fast-track to safety or intimacy — even if it bypasses healthy relationship pacing.” Figueroa adds that you might also overshare intimate details to avoid feeling rejected or unseen.
While all traumas leave a profound mark on an individual's life, there's a different level of difficulty in recovering from what's called "complex trauma." Unlike single-incident traumas, complex trauma stems from repeated experiences of stressful and traumatic events, usually in environments where there's no escape.
Symptoms of Unhealed Trauma
Often, when someone is stuck in the past, it's because of unresolved emotions. It can be difficult to address these feelings, especially if they relate to painful experiences. However, recognising and accepting our emotions is the first step towards emotional healing and growth.
Perception and sensation symptoms of TBI
What therapeutic approaches can help rewire the brain after trauma?
It won't rid you of PTSD and your fears, but let your tears flow and you'll maybe feel a little better afterwards. 'Crying for long periods of time releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, otherwise known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals can help ease both physical and emotional pain.
Symptoms of Unresolved Trauma
Lack of trust and difficulty opening up to other people6. Dissociation and a persistent feeling of numbness7. Control issues, to overcompensate for feeling helpless during the traumatic incident8. Low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness9.
The "3 C's of Trauma" usually refer to Connect, Co-Regulate, and Co-Reflect, a model for trauma-informed care focusing on building safe relationships, helping individuals manage overwhelming emotions (co-regulation), and processing experiences (co-reflection). Other "3 C's" include Comfort, Conversation, and Commitment for children's coping, and Catch, Check, Change from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for challenging negative thoughts in trauma recovery.
Impact of trauma on the brain:
Research shows, for example, that adults with PTSD have a reduction in an area of their prefrontal cortex and a reduction in the volume of the hippocampus.
Cognition and mood symptoms
The 10 ACEs of childhood trauma are:
The 'fight or flight' response is how people sometimes refer to our body's automatic reactions to fear. There are actually 5 of these common responses, including 'freeze', 'flop' and 'friend', as well as 'fight' or 'flight'.
You may have more emotional troubles such as: Feeling nervous, helpless, fearful, sad. Feeling shocked, numb, or not able to feel love or joy. Being irritable or having angry outbursts.
Trauma dumping occurs when an individual shares their traumatic experiences without the recipient's consent, often at inappropriate times or places. This act can place undue emotional pressure on someone who may not be prepared or able to process such intense information.
Sense of Shame or Guilt
They think that whatever happens is just because of them. Therefore, they feel guilty and ashamed of it. Moreover, they also feel weird about their trauma response. This, in turn, stops them from thinking about their mental health and seeking professional help.
Q: Why is trauma dumping a red flag? A: Trauma dumping indicates poor boundaries, lack of emotional awareness, and can be manipulative. It prevents healthy relationship development and shows disregard for others' emotional wellbeing.
Things Never to Say to Trauma Survivors
When people self-isolate, they are able to avoid reminders of the trauma or other potentially traumatic situations. Going out and being social is an uncontrolled environment, making the potential of facing distressing reminders of the trauma much higher than being alone.