We often hear the word trauma used after a catastrophe has occurred, but trauma comes in a wide variety of forms, and affects people differently. It can be loosely defined as an event or occurrence that’s deeply disturbing or emotionally overwhelming or draining. It can stem from something like a car accident, a cancer diagnosis, or even the death of a close family member or friend. Even a breakup in a long term relationship or marriage can be emotionally devastating. At times, it can be hard to see how other people suffer. This is especially true when a person is struggling financially. When someone in a lower-class individual sees a wealthier person’s money, they assume they could never have troubles, or any kind of suffering in their lives, and certainly nothing as bad as what they’ve endured. This type of thinking can extend to almost any group in society. One of the hardest things to understand is that trauma isn’t confined to just one group of people in the world. When we’re in the midst of the traumatic ordeal in our life, we tend to focus on ourselves, thinking that no one else could possibly have a clue as to what you’re going through. Indulging this type of thought often leads us into a downward spiral, where we continuously isolate ourselves simply because, in our minds, no one else gets it. Trauma is universal, but the way it affects each of us depends on just that – us. If you and a friend both lose a family member around the same time, you may both feel emotional trauma, but you won’t suffer or feel it the exact same way. People simply deal with emotional and psychological trauma in different ways. Nobody else can or should tell you that the way you feel about about what happened is overdramatic, or not right. It’s not their trauma to deal with, it’s not their path to walk down, and only you can say when you’ve had enough. The most important thing when it comes to dealing with trauma is to resist the urge to indulge in those isolating thoughts. Never force your feelings back down, embrace them to help deal with them. Remember that though no one else may truly be able to sympathise with your emotions or what you’ve been through, everyone else is still fighting their own kind of battle. Unfortunately, trauma is just a part of life; at some point, in some way, everyone will go through some kind of trauma in their lifetime. The benefit of this is that no one is forced to fight alone. If you’re struggling after a traumatic event in your life, don’t be afraid to reach out to family and friends for support, they may understand better than you think.
Your story is waiting to begin with the rest of your life. Treatment is the beginning of the journey that changes your story. At Oceanfront Recovery, a treatment facility in Orange County, California, we believe that when you change your story, you change your life. Call us today for information on our programs for treatment, including our exclusive executive track. 877.279.1777
