How to Move Forward After Trauma

Feb 18, 2021

Abuse? Assault? Combat? No matter the reason, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is a very real and very common mental illness. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that does not discriminate by age, gender, or ethnicity. It is something that has been around for centuries, going by different names throughout the decades before psychiatrists were finally able to put a name to the disorder.

When PTSD was first diagnosed, it was only acknowledged in combat soldiers under names such as "shell shock" or "combat fatigue", but years of study and research have concluded that even secondhand exposure to a traumatic event can trigger PTSD in an individual. Symptoms can include flashbacks, nightmares, fear, sadness, anger. No matter the reason, attempting to deal with or get over Post Traumatic Stress can be detrimental to both your physical and mental health. PTSD is a debilitating disorder, and the flashbacks, anxiety, or panic attacks that accompany this mental illness can derail your life if you let them.

Admitting that trauma has affected you is never easy, but it is human. Taking the first step and admitting to needing help is crucial, and while talking about the trauma with friends and family can be beneficial, seeking help from a trained therapist is the best option in most cases. A professional therapist has many benefits, the main one being experience seeing, diagnosing, and treating those with PTSD, not to mention outside and unbiased perspective. Many individuals who have experienced PTSD feel alone, as if the trauma is not "bad enough" to warrant him or her a diagnosis, or as if nobody could possibly understand exactly what he or she is going through so why talk about it? This could not be further from the truth. According to the American Psychiatric Association, one in eleven people will be diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in their lifetime.

Therapy, both individual and group therapy, can give an individual suffering the tools he or she needs to overcome the trauma in their life. It offers an individual to speak to who is solely focused on you and your health, and helps you to process the events of your trauma in a safe and logical environment.

In history the idea of going to a therapist is often seen negatively; however, if you are in a car accident you visit a doctor to fix your wounds. Why is it any different if your mind is injured? Shouldn't you fix those wounds as well, even if they can't be seen? To take the first step towards healing contact Jodi Mitchell.