Traumatic experiences can turn into traps that drag you deeper and deeper into a pit of hopelessness and despair.
Whether you’ve endured abuse, fallen victim to a violent attack, or suffered from a devastating illness, you may find yourself plagued by deep depression and anger. Or even flashbacks and night sweats when you least expect it.
Let’s take a closer look at these emotional trauma symptoms and what you can do about it.
Anxiety
Emotional trauma symptoms anxiety is often seen as a direct result of feeling overwhelmed by intense emotions, such as fear, guilt, anger, confusion, and sadness. In some cases, this anxiety can be a result of a traumatic event or circumstance.
In these cases, the individual may feel overwhelmed intensely by their emotions and experience difficulty regulating them. Symptoms could include persistent fear or worry, avoidance of certain situations, chest pain, difficulty sleeping, as well as physical aches and pains.
People may find it difficult to manage their emotions and feel out of control. While the effects of emotional trauma can be difficult to manage, it is possible to work through the trauma and find a healthier way of managing the associated anxiety.
Re-Experiencing or Flashbacks
Reexperiencing or Flashbacks are symptoms of emotional trauma. They can occur at any time, often unexpectedly, and may be brought on by a particular trigger (e.g. a smell, sound, or sight).
Flashbacks may be a re-experiencing of an event or feeling as if you are in the trauma all over again. It can involve physical sensations, strong emotions, thoughts, and memories.
Flashbacks often include intense fear and a sense of helplessness, as if the trauma is happening in the present. It’s important to remember flashbacks are normal if you’ve experienced a traumatic event.
It’s important to talk to someone you trust about these symptoms and seek professional help if they begin to interfere with your day-to-day activities.
Behavioral Changes
When people suffer from emotional trauma, they can experience a range of behavioral changes. These can include withdrawing from activities or relationships, unexplained changes in mood or attitude, being overly aggressive, viewing the world in a negative way, participating in high-risk behaviors, or having difficulty concentrating.
Emotional trauma can also lead to changes in the way people interact with the environment, such as being constantly alert for danger, avoiding new situations, or feeling immobilized by fear. Anger and fear may become more pronounced, and control over emotions may become more difficult.
In cases of severe trauma, self-destructive behavior, such as drug and alcohol abuse, can occur, as can suicidal thoughts. Treatment for emotional trauma can include individual counseling, support groups, medication, and alternative healing modalities. Gaining emotional control can help manage the symptoms of emotional trauma and help bring about positive behavioral changes.
Health Issues
Emotional trauma can cause a wide range of health issues. Some of these include feelings of depression and anxiety, difficulty sleeping, worrying about the future, problems with concentration, and avoidance of activities that are associated with trauma.
Other physical health issues include heart palpitations, digestive issues, headaches, muscle tension, and fatigue. If the emotional distress is not addressed and managed, these health issues can become more severe and potentially debilitating.
It is important to receive treatment for emotional trauma, and those suffering should seek out appropriate help. With professional support and proper coping skills, emotional trauma symptoms can be managed, and the associated health issues can be alleviated.
Cognitive Function
Emotional trauma can have an effect on cognitive function, which can manifest itself in symptoms such as memory problems, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances, and difficulty regulating emotions. These symptoms can all impact the ability to think clearly, problem-solve, pay attention, make decisions, and remember new information.
Moreover, cognitive functions such as visual and spatial awareness, language, and motor coordination can be disrupted due to changes in the brain. This can lead to a struggle in learning and communicating, as well as an increase in confusion and difficulty in making decisions and setting appropriate boundaries in relationships.
To help reduce the effects of emotional trauma on cognitive functioning, it is important to seek help from a mental health professional to create and develop skills that can be applied in everyday life.
Emotional Numbing
Emotional numbing is a common symptom of emotional trauma. It occurs when an individual is exposed to a situation that causes an overwhelming emotional response. As a coping mechanism, they tend to push away these emotions in an effort to keep them manageable.
While this may initially provide some relief, it can lead to long-term emotional numbing and the lack of ability to emotionally connect with other people. People who have this symptom may also find it difficult to experience joy and pleasure and may even feel a general lack of interest in life.
Other common symptoms include lack of concentration, insomnia, feeling disconnected, depression, and avoiding activities or people that trigger memories of the trauma. Professional help is often needed to help cope with these symptoms and to allow the person to connect with their emotions in a safe and controlled environment.
If you wish to cope with emotional trauma, check these signs you’ve forgiven someone.
Explore Emotional Trauma Symptoms
Overall, emotional trauma is a serious issue that can have long-lasting effects. It’s important to be aware of the signs of trauma and to seek professional help if needed. If you believe that you or someone you know is experiencing emotional trauma symptoms, talk to a doctor or therapist right away.
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