When the soul hurts ... How do I cope with trauma?

Posted: September 26, 2024
Dr. med. Wolfgang Bachmann
Dr. med. Wolfgang Bachmann

General practitioner

Most of us have been traumatized in one way or another in the course of our lives. 

There are many reasons for this:

  • Negative childhood experiences such as bullying, loss, neglect, separation or divorce of parents or growing up in a household where members were mentally ill, addicted to drugs or in prison
  • Experiences of violence, i.e. emotional, physical and sexual abuse or domestic violence 
  • Accidents or disasters
  • Diagnosis of a life-threatening illness

What are the effects of trauma?

Our health and well-being suffer from trauma!

Studies show that trauma carries an increased risk of depressive disorders, obesity, behavioral disorders, addictions, heart disease and even premature death. The way we hold on to the past has a profound impact on our physical and emotional health.

Traumas lead to:

  • Sleep disorders
  • Tension
  • Depression
  • Mood swings
  • Anxiety and panic attacks
  • Irritability
  • Feelings of guilt
  • Flashbacks (sudden uncontrolled reliving of the traumatic situation)

 

➤ More than half of all people are confronted with a traumatic experience at least once in the course of their lives.

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Why is that the case?

As soon as you are faced with potential danger, a stress reaction is triggered in the body and it begins its emergency program: flight or fight. Stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol are released. This has always served to enable us to flee quickly from danger or to confront it with all our strength.

But what if that doesn't work? If the situation seems hopeless?

There is a third way in which the body reacts to potential danger: freezing. Unlike the fight or flight response, the stress is not relieved by movement. Those affected describe this feeling of unreality as "being beside oneself" or "being stunned".

This type of reaction increases the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder. The perception of information is disturbed by the freezing, which leads to an altered perception of the experience. Images, smells or sounds from this situation are stored deep in the fear center of the brain.

As a result, certain images, smells or sounds come back at a later point in time and can trigger strong stress and panic reactions, as these are deeply rooted in our memory.

 

Traumatized girls and women tend to become violent towards themselves, whereas boys and men tend to direct their violence outwards.

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There is hope for those affected

Confronting our emotional traumas is just as important to our overall well-being as treating a traumatic injury. We can work to reset the neural pathways associated with the trauma and work through the negative beliefs that have arisen from it. Once we have done this, we can emerge happier and more balanced than ever before. We just need to give our brain the right input.

Digging deep into our emotional scars and mental dialog leads to dramatic life changes, especially when it comes to healing the body. Cultivating a positive mindset and expecting positive outcomes can indeed lead to more successful healing.

 

➤ Women suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder twice as often as men.

 

How do we heal our traumas?

  1. Accept the past: The first step is to accept that a trauma has happened. Repressing or blaming yourself is counterproductive. Feelings or flashbacks will still come up again as long as they remain unprocessed. 
  2. Educate yourself: Educate yourself extensively on the subject of trauma and develop an awareness of it. It can affect any of us and we need to actively do something about it.
  3. Improve your lifestyle: A healthy diet, sufficient sleep, family, friends etc. also help you to cope with trauma. Don't withdraw under any circumstances, but reach out to friends and family. They are the ideal people to talk to and can offer advice and support. 
  4. Get professional help: Professional help should be sought especially if symptoms such as stress or panic attacks persist. Whether it's a family doctor, telephone counselor, psychiatrist or psychotherapist - they all have their place and can help you deal with trauma. A trusting relationship is essential in the process.
  5. Distract yourself: Physical activities and sports, listening to music, creative work and spending time in nature help to take your mind off things.

 

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Using Mother Nature to combat anxiety, stress and depression

The following dietary supplements can help you to cope better with anxiety, stress and depression:

  • 5-HTP: the natural solution for anxiety and stress and for restful sleep
  • Rhodiola Rosea (rose root): as an adaptogen, it helps the body to respond appropriately to stress and increases stress tolerance
  • Melatonin: the sleep hormone promotes restful sleep and can help with sleep-related depression
  • Vitamin D3: acts like liquid sunshine that directly influences and improves our mood

Almost all of us are or have been affected by trauma at some point in our lives. It's scary to work through your trauma. But it's the only way to help your mental and physical health.

Get a grip on your anxiety, stress and depression and get outside help. Do something good for your body and soul!

 

Sources (in English):

Oral, R., Ramirez, M., Coohey, C., Nakada, S., Walz, A., Kuntz, A. et al. (2016, January). Adverse childhood experiences and trauma informed care: the future of health care. Pediatric Research, 79(1-2):227-33, doi: 10.1038/pr.2015.197

Bonanno, G. A. (2004, January). Loss, trauma, and human resilience: have we underestimated the human capacity to thrive after extremely aversive events? The American Psychologist, 59(1):20-8, doi: 10.1037/0003-066X.59.1.20

Infuma, F. J., Rivers, C. T., Reich, J. & Zautra, A. J. (2015, April). Childhood trauma and personal mastery: their influence on emotional reactivity to everyday events in a community sample of middle-aged adults. PLoS One, 10(4):e0121840, doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121840

Streb, M., Conway, M. A. & Michael, T. (2017, December). Conditional responses to trauma reminders: How durable are they over time and does memory integration reduce them? Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 57:88-95, doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2017.04.005