It’s not uncommon for past traumatic experiences to resurface during stressful times in life. Anxiety and depression can often accompany trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and there are a handful of shared symptoms between anxiety and trauma.
Trauma occurs when an individual experiences physical or emotional pain in the face of fear and helplessness. Trauma and PTSD are often associated with incidents such as war, sexual assault, natural disaster, or a life-threatening accident — however, there are other things in life that can cause trauma, such as negative childhood experiences, childhood abuse/neglect, domestic violence, bullying, and emotionally abusive relationships.
Traumatic experiences can result in a number of troubling symptoms. With the help of compassionate, effective treatment, you can heal from trauma and regain a sense of control over your life.
“do i have ptsd?” — signs and symptoms of ptsd and trauma
Humans are wired to adapt to traumatic events in order to survive. While these adaptive skills were helpful and necessary at the time of the trauma, they often stick around and can “get in the way” of day-to-day life, even after the threat is gone.
Common signs and symptoms of trauma and PTSD include:
Having nightmares or trouble sleeping
Thinking about the trauma all the time, or,
Avoiding thinking about the trauma, or avoiding places, people, or things that remind you of the trauma
Having difficulty remembering all or parts of the trauma
Being on guard to protect yourself, or having the feeling that something bad is about to happen
Jumping when there is a loud noise (also called a “startle response”)
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling anger, shame, sadness, guilt, or worthlessness
Feeling “crazy” or out of control
Symptoms of trauma and PTSD are normal responses to abnormal life events. There are various ways people respond to trauma, and many people who have experienced trauma have a feeling that there is “something wrong with them.” Just know that this is a common feeling for people who have experienced trauma. You are not alone.
emdr in alexandria, mn
The good news is, you can heal from trauma and PTSD.
One highly effective treatment for trauma/PTSD is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR is an effective, evidence-based treatment that accesses the parts of the brain where the trauma is “stuck.” As a result of successful EMDR therapy, the trauma memories get “unstuck” and reprocessed so that the trauma no longer has a strong hold on day-to-day life.
If you’re looking for EMDR therapy in Alexandria, MN, we might be a good fit. I specialize in EMDR therapy for treating trauma and PTSD, and I’m passionate about helping people heal from past wounds and feeling “back to themselves” again. Click below to get in touch with me, and if it sounds like we’re a good fit, we’ll schedule our first session together.