What happens when you have a traumatic experience?

It can also leave you feeling numb, disconnected, and unable to trust other people. 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.

Why do I avoid things that remind me of my trauma?

Sometimes we avoid people, places, or things related to our trauma because they trigger the painful memory. For example, we might avoid TV shows that remind us of the event. Other times we might avoid things because they feel dangerous, like a section of the city where we were assaulted.

Is it normal to feel fear after a trauma?

Nevertheless, the fear following a trauma can be as bad or worse than the emotions we felt at the time of the trauma, and almost certainly lasts longer. You may feel like the fear is subsiding when something triggers a reminder of the trauma, and the intense fear returns.

Do you have to talk about your trauma with others?

You don’t have to talk about the trauma. Connecting with others doesn’t have to involve talking about the trauma. In fact, for some people, that can just make things worse. Comfort comes from feeling engaged and accepted by others. Ask for support.

Who is most likely to be traumatized by an event?

Childhood trauma and the risk of future trauma. While traumatic events can happen to anyone, you’re more likely to be traumatized by an event if you’re already under a heavy stress load, have recently suffered a series of losses, or have been traumatized before—especially if the earlier trauma occurred in childhood.

What happens when childhood trauma is not resolved?

When childhood trauma is not resolved, a sense of fear and helplessness carries over into adulthood, setting the stage for further trauma. However, even if your trauma happened many years ago, there are steps you can take to overcome the pain, learn to trust and connect to others again, and regain your sense of emotional balance.

Can I speed up my recovery from emotional and psychological trauma?

But with these self-help strategies and support, you can speed up your recovery. 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.