5 stages of trauma recovery, what is it? There is no “one size fits all” model for trauma recovery, but there are some common stages that can be helpful. Ultimately, trauma recovery is about taking your life back from the trauma and finding the strength to live a full and happy life.
Traumatic events leave people feeling threatened, powerless
Traumatic events can happen anywhere from a single brush with death, to complex and ongoing issues like child abuse or neglect. Regardless of the severity, they leave people feeling threatened, powerless, and unable to regulate their emotions.
During a traumatic experience, a person’s brain is constantly on high alert ready to protect them from threats. This is a normal reaction to trauma but can be dangerous if left unchecked.
A therapist can help you learn new ways to cope with your feelings and emotions that are healthy. This can include mindfulness, yoga, deep breathing, or other calming methods.
The therapist will work with you to develop new strategies and skills to manage stress and anxiety, process your trauma, and build healthy connections with others. This can take a long time, but it is possible to achieve complete healing from trauma and live an emotionally-healthy, fulfilling life.
Stages of Trauma Recovering
The most important thing to know is that it can be done, even though it may seem impossible at times. You can heal from trauma if you’re willing to work through the 5 stages of trauma recovery and be patient with yourself along the way.
The stages of healing from childhood trauma
There are a number of stages in the healing process for those who have experienced trauma as children. These stages are outlined in the three-stage model of recovery, which was developed by psychiatrist Judith Herman and clinical psychologist Mic Hunter.
1. Recognise and accept your trauma – The first step in the healing process is to recognize that you have a traumatic experience, which can help you begin to understand why you are struggling. This can be difficult if you are still in denial, but recognizing your trauma will give you the opportunity to address it, validate your experience and begin to move forward.
2. Review and re-examine memories, emotions and thoughts related to the trauma at this stage involves processing your experiences, reviewing them with a therapist or other trusted person, and working to make sense of their meaning in your life. It can also involve re-examining and releasing painful feelings.
3. Work on healthy coping strategies, including exercise and meditation. Developing new coping skills is important for those who have experienced childhood trauma. They can include yoga, deep breathing, and cultivating a new routine that helps you cope with emotions without resorting to unhealthy coping mechanisms.
4. Reclaim your power and authority. It is natural for victims of trauma to feel like they are powerless or that they have no control over their lives, which can lead to guilt, shame and self-criticism. Reclaiming your power and authority can help you begin to regulate your emotions, and move forward into a healthier, more fulfilling way of living.
Symptoms of childhood trauma in adulthood
Childhood trauma in adulthood can have many symptoms. This includes difficulties in relationships, problems regulating emotions and feelings of helplessness. These symptoms may also lead to other mental health conditions like depression and anxiety.
Symptoms of Trauma in Adulthood
When children experience traumatic events like abuse, neglect, witnessing violence, or being the victim of natural disasters or serious accidents, they can be affected by them well into adulthood. These types of experiences can change how the brain develops, which can lead to a variety of health issues in later life.
PTSD Symptoms in Adulthood
Those who have experienced trauma in the past are at greater risk of developing PTSD as adults. PTSD is a mental health condition that causes people to have distressing thoughts, memories and feelings that remind them of the traumatic event.
In addition, they often have trouble coping with stress and regulating their emotions. This can cause them to feel a sense of helplessness and make them prone to making poor choices.
Dissociation in Adulthood
Survivors of trauma tend to be withdrawn and isolated from others. They don’t talk about their pain or share their experiences.
They may become irrational and frightened in situations where they used to be confident, or they may have difficulty thinking clearly or focusing on a task.
If you think you might be suffering from a trauma, you should seek professional help as soon as possible. This can help you overcome your symptoms and get on a healthy track to recovery.
Effects of childhood trauma in adulthood
Childhood trauma effects can manifest physically in adulthood, increasing the risk of health concerns such as heart disease and diabetes. Moreover, children who are traumatized are more likely to develop mental health disorders and neurodevelopmental conditions.
The effects of childhood trauma in adulthood include the development of irrational feelings, a lack of faith in one’s ability to recover from traumatic events, defensive behaviors, and distorted perspectives about life and others. Healing the impact of trauma on your adult life can be a complex process, and it’s important to work with a qualified therapist who understands the effects of trauma in adults.
Common signs of trauma in adult survivors
The following four symptoms can be found in survivors of any kind of traumatic event, no matter how recent or long-term it was: 1. Dissociation (feeling disconnected from the body, environment, memory and behavior).
Unresolved issues, such as feeling shame and guilt over the traumatic experience can remain in the subconscious mind and impede on your personal growth.
Sleep disturbances, including sleepwalking, snoring, nightmares and night terrors can also be a result of traumatic experiences. Depression, suicidal ideation, mood dysregulation and self-harm are other potential symptoms of trauma.
Physical or somatic symptoms called somatization, include but are not limited to frequent headaches, body aches, gastrointestinal issues and chronic fatigue.
Symptoms of trauma can occur at any age, but they are most often seen in children and young adults, as the earliest experiences have the greatest influence on brain development. It’s crucial to seek treatment as soon as possible for the best chance of healing.
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