By Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, M.A., and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D.
If you’ve experienced an extremely stressful or disturbing event that’s left you feeling helpless and emotionally out of control, you may have been traumatized. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting emotions, memories, and anxiety that won’t go away. It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people. When bad things happen, it can take a while to get over the pain and feel safe again. But with these self-help strategies and support, you can speed up your recovery. Whether the trauma happened years ago or yesterday, you can make healing changes and move on with your life.
What is emotional and psychological trauma? Emotional and psychological trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that shatter your sense of security, making you feel helpless in a dangerous world. Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety, but any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed and isolated can result in trauma, even if it doesn’t involve physical harm. It’s not the objective circumstances that determine whether an event is traumatic, but your subjective emotional experience of the event. The more frightened and helpless you feel, the more likely you are to be traumatized.
Share This Post!
The Mental Health of Minority and Marginalized Young People: An Opportunity for Action
By Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General Mental health is an essential part of overall health. It not only affects the ability of young people to succeed in school, at work, and [...]
How to Break the Cycle of Childhoold Trauma? Help a Baby’s Parents
By Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR Teresa Cox-Bates was only 11 years old when her father died, an event that dramatically altered her family's circumstances and shaped her childhood experiences. Studies also show [...]
Supporting Children and Teens During the Holiday Season
Provided by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network This fact sheet provides tips that parents can use to talk to their children and teens about how they are feeling and changes [...]
How a History of Trauma is Affecting the Children of Gaza
By Rhitu Chatterjee, NPR Researchers say the cumulative trauma of chronic ethnic-political violence has a profound and lasting impact on children's mental health and development, affecting their functioning and outlook on [...]
Helping Children Cope After a Traumatic Event
Provided by the Child Mind Institute In the wake of a traumatic event, your comfort, support and reassurance can make children feel safe, help them manage their fears, guide them through [...]
Mental Health Resources for Caregivers
Provided by Mental Health America Caregiving can often have a significant impact on the life of the caregiver in more ways than one. It can make maintaining your physical and mental [...]