If you struggle to get to sleep because of thoughts or ideas about the past you might have some trauma in your life. Trauma can also manifest in social isolation, substance use, and panic attacks. If you think you might have some trauma it’s important to acknowledge this and seek out ways to start your healing process. Start right now with some helpful ideas in the article.
Acknowledge your trauma
Many people who experience trauma don’t realize they have trauma and suffer as a result. The effects of trauma can include trouble sleeping, panic attacks, substance use, flashbacks, low self-esteem, and suicidal thoughts. It’s important that you don’t ignore signs of trauma.
The first step to healing from trauma is acknowledging that trauma is what you have. This can come as a sudden insight to some people who thought it was related to something else, contact honest nursing home abuse attorneys, if you think you suffer from care home abuse trauma.
Understand the need to heal
Once you have acknowledged you have trauma it’s time to start the healing process. Everyone is different and will heal in a different way. Since there is no one-size-fits-all solution to trauma you might need to investigate the healing methods that you respond to best – there are many!
Healing from trauma might be as simple as focusing on yourself for a time and practicing your mindfulness techniques, or it might require a series of in-depth talking therapy sessions. Spend some time looking after yourself and exploring possible methods to start healing your trauma.
Embrace positive affirmations
Everyone has an inner critic, it’s that little voice that tells us we’re not good enough and can never heal from the past trauma. Of course, this inner critic is not speaking the truth and must be silenced in some way. One way is to use positive affirmations to replace negative self-talk.
Positive affirmations can be effective but sometimes it can seem like hard work to constantly work against negative thoughts that come back again and again. If you struggle with unwanted thoughts, try some chanting or humming which takes all your attention away from thoughts.
Create an active lifestyle
Exercising is an excellent way to heal trauma because it allows the brain to release endorphins (feel-good chemicals) that raise your mood and improve your concentration. The other reason it’s so good is that it keeps your body physically active and splits your attention.
If you like physical activity it’s easy to choose something new or get back into an activity you once enjoyed, but if exercising isn’t your thing choosing an activity might be a little bit more challenging. Some activities that are excellent for healing trauma include martial arts and yoga.
Explore your creativity
Art therapy works on a simple premise when you express yourself creatively the negative stuff comes up. The artworks you create are manifestations of your past trauma and pouting them on the page in some form helps you to explore and process them in creative ways.
Art therapy includes things like painting, drawing, writing, playing music, and making crafts. If you think you are unartistic and for that reason, art therapy won’t help, it’s worth giving it a try. Art therapy isn’t about creating outstanding works of art, it’s about gaining new perspectives.
Explore the natural world
Nature is a tremendous healer! That means inner nature as well as outer nature, and you will need the impact of both if you want to fully heal from PTSD and other types of trauma. Of course, mindfulness and meditation are two of the most effective trauma-healing solutions.
External nature can also have a very positive impact on your healing. Nature is full of oxygen that is excellent for your brain and lungs. It is also very inspiring, walking in nature is a chance to let your mind wander and heal. Some people believe nature also has magical energy.
Discover helpful therapies
Everyone is different and heals from trauma in their own unique ways. Some people benefit from therapies like psychotherapy while others are afraid to go near it. For some people, psychotherapy is unappealing because it means sharing aspects of their lives with others.
However, therapies can be very effective for healing past traumas and shouldn’t be discounted. There’s no need to commit to a series of sessions right away, it’s fine to try one or two sessions to see if they work for you – also consider other therapies such as CBT and hypnotherapy.
If you are reluctant to commit to therapy as you have many other responsibilities to juggle, you may want to consider mental health outpatient treatment. Seeking therapy as an outpatient will help you get the support you need without staying away from home. This means that you will gain all the benefits of treatment for depression, trauma, and abuse while being able to return home each day. For many people, outpatient therapy is an effective solution and helps them access treatment while maintaining their other responsibilities.
