Trauma

image of shark - links to trauma page

Trauma is not only recognized as an event or series of events in a person鈥檚 life, but as a life-altering experience.

People with trauma histories can听struggle to feel safe听and to trust, as they were not safe at the time of their trauma and听sometimes have been badly betrayed. There are di铿erent kinds of experiences of 鈥榯rauma鈥, some of which are mentioned below.

  • PTSD (diagnosis required)
    A key part of this diagnosis is having had exposure to traumatic event(s) that represent听a threat to life or limb, specifically defined as 鈥渁ctual or threatened death, serious injury or accident, or sexual violence".
  • Complex trauma
    A term听used by therapists where abuse and adversity, particularly in childhood, have pervasive impacts on self-esteem, sense of self-worth, mental and physical health and the capacity to form and maintain healthy relationships.听
  • Traumatic stress
    Coping mechanisms can be overwhelmed in response to the perception or experience of extreme threat. Normal life stress听activates innate `fight鈥, `flight鈥 and/or `鈥 responses which dissipate once the stress subsides. The repeated perception of extreme threat with trauma often leaves these responses chronically activated. Learn more about the difference between听.听

Blocks

Below you will find three common blocks (barriers and misconceptions) that can prevent the process of moving through trauma.

  • Hyper arousal, hypo arousal and dysregulation

    People with trauma histories often move between different states of arousal -听they can oscillate between being hyper-aroused (e.g. agitated, 鈥渏ittery鈥) or hypo-aroused (e.g. frozen or numb) at any one time. Many also struggle to manage their often strong emotions. This can sometimes be called 鈥榙ysregulation鈥.

  • Detrimental coping strategies

    Some coping strategies (e.g. self-harm and avoidance) can be adaptive by providing relief in the moment but work against the person鈥檚 own interests in the longer-term. This 鈥榤akes sense鈥 in the context of prior traumatic experience: with trauma, there is often a need to protect against potentially overwhelming experience (for example, by denying, self-medicating or other short-term coping behaviour).

  • Default responses

    As a consequence of a trauma history we may develop听responses in order to initially 鈥榮urvive鈥 the trauma. These听adaptive responses are 鈥榮tored鈥 in neural networks and trauma can later be activated by events (i.e. associations or reminders of the original trauma). Default responses (e.g. hyper-vigilance) can be triggered even though听they are not needed or helpful anymore.

Boosters

Below are three things you can do to boost success.

  • Learn about the neuroscience of trauma

    鲍苍诲别谤蝉迟补苍诲颈苍驳听a little听about听the neuroscience of trauma听enables people to better interpret some of the responses they experience. These physiological reactions are triggered unconsciously and largely by sensory stimuli and reminders of the original trauma. People who have experiences of trauma can feel trapped in a cycle of physical and psychological reactivity and they (and others) often do not understand why this is happening.

  • Identify emotions

    Managing emotions is hard when you don't know what you're feeling except that you feel out of control and can't be sure what will happen next. This lack of emotional awareness sometimes leads to unhealthy ways of feeling better. Learning to identify your emotions such as the sensations, feelings, thoughts, and behaviour that follows,听can help to figure out how to make yourself feel better.听Start with identifying what you're feeling. See a counsellor who specialises in anxiety and/or trauma work, or use sites like the .听

  • Emotional regulation techniques

    惭辞惫别尘别苍迟,听meditation and mindfulness-based relaxation techniques are common tools for recovering from trauma. Focusing on something in the physical environment or on body awareness听 (e.g. 听蹿辞肠耻蝉), helps to听regulate and soothe the nervous system.听Grounding techniques can also assist you to stay in the present moment during episodes of intense anxiety听or other overwhelming emotions. By focusing on the physical world and how you experience it you can feel safe and in control. Explore some of the resources in the 'Need more info' section below.听听

Need more info?

Techniques and fact sheets

Information

Generational and Refugee Trauma

  • - Survivors of Torture, Trauma and Rehabilitation Service
  • 听- South 最新糖心Vlog
  • - Aboriginal Health Services

Link in to the breath

Explore听these sites on calming strategies

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Online treatment modules

  • 听LifeFleX for PTSD
  • - This Way Up