Healing After Psychological Trauma: 6 Natural Self-Care Tools for Recovery
Trauma profoundly impacts mental health, often resulting in enduring effects that can disrupt daily life and overall well-being. It can also severely impact your quality of life.
Understanding trauma's complex nature is essential for those affected and those who support them. Trauma can arise from various distressing experiences, including abuse, accidents, natural disasters, or loss. These events can shatter your sense of security, leaving you feeling vulnerable, helpless and hopeless.
The psychological repercussions of trauma are vast, including conditions like PTSD, depression, anxiety, and more. Physical symptoms such as chronic pain, headaches, and sleep disturbances often accompany these mental health issues. Rumination is often a key driver, perpetually activating the stress response and affecting your physiology at the cellular level.
Healing from trauma requires a multifaceted approach, integrating specialised therapies, support systems, and holistic practices.
This article explores the many ways trauma can affect individuals and offers practical, natural strategies for recovery and improve your resilience, empowering you to take proactive steps toward healing.
By combining professional insights with empathetic advice, we aim to provide a comprehensive resource for those seeking to understand and overcome the lasting impacts of trauma.
Understanding the Nature of Trauma
Trauma stems from extremely stressful events that shatter an individual's sense of security. Recognising the sources and symptoms of trauma is the first step towards recovery.
Types of Traumatic Events
Physical or Sexual Abuse:
Experiences of abuse can leave deep psychological scars, impacting your self-esteem and sense of safety, and how you connect with others.
Sudden Loss of a Loved One:
Grieving a sudden death can result in profound sadness and confusion, disrupting normal life. This type of trauma often leads to intense emotional pain and can trigger feelings of helplessness and existential despair. A lack of coping mechanisms can have devastating effects over a long period as you feel unequipped to deal with the loss and take less care of yourself.
Wars and Natural Disasters:
Exposure to violence or natural catastrophes can lead to significant mental health issues, as these events often come with a loss of control and security.
Childhood Neglect and Abandonment:
Lack of emotional or physical care during childhood can lead to severe trauma, impacting emotional development and attachment. Feelings of abandonment can result from parental neglect or inconsistent caregiving, leading to trust issues and difficulties in forming healthy relationships.
Serious Accidents:
Car crashes, industrial accidents, or other serious injuries can cause lasting psychological trauma. It can also lead to PTSD.
Domestic Violence:
Living in a threatening home environment can lead to chronic stress and trauma. Victims of domestic violence often live in a state of constant fear, which can have lasting psychological effects.
Witnessing Violence:
Seeing violent acts, whether in the community or via media exposure, can be traumatic. Witnesses may develop anxiety, fear, and hypervigilance as a result.
Life-Threatening Illness:
Being diagnosed with a severe illness or witnessing a loved one's health deteriorate can cause significant emotional distress. This type of trauma can lead to feelings of hopelessness and despair.
Abandonment or Betrayal:
Experiencing abandonment or betrayal by a trusted individual can be deeply traumatic. These experiences can lead to long-term trust, self-worth, and emotional stability issues.
Bullying and Harassment:
Enduring bullying or harassment, whether in childhood or adulthood, can have lasting psychological effects. Victims may struggle with self-esteem, anxiety, and depression as a result.
Natural Disasters:
Experiencing natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, or floods can lead to significant trauma. These sudden and uncontrollable events can instil a profound sense of fear and helplessness.
Psychological Impact of Trauma
Trauma can lead to a range of mental health conditions as individuals struggle to process their experiences.
— Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
One of the most direct consequences of trauma is PTSD, characterised by intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings that persist long after the event. Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event.
— Depression and Anxiety
Persistent sadness, hopelessness, and excessive worry are common among trauma survivors. These conditions can significantly impair your ability to function and enjoy life.
— Substance Abuse
Some individuals turn to alcohol or drugs to self-medicate and manage overwhelming emotions and memories. This can lead to addiction and further complicate the healing process.
— Emotional Dysregulation
Difficulty managing emotions can disrupt relationships, increasing isolation and loneliness. Trauma survivors may experience mood swings, irritability, and difficulty maintaining stable relationships.
— Dissociative Disorders
Some people may experience dissociation, causing a disconnection between thoughts, identity, consciousness, and memory. This can manifest as feeling detached from oneself or reality.
— Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD)
Trauma, especially in childhood, can contribute to the development of BPD, characterised by unstable moods, behaviour, and relationships. Individuals with BPD may experience intense episodes of anger, depression, and anxiety.
— Panic Disorder
Trauma can lead to panic attacks and severe anxiety episodes. Individuals may experience sudden, intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as a racing heart, sweating, and shortness of breath.
— Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
This condition results from prolonged exposure to traumatic situations, particularly during childhood. Symptoms include difficulties in emotional regulation, consciousness, and self-perception, along with those of standard PTSD.
Physical Manifestations of Trauma
Trauma can also manifest physically, presenting symptoms that can exacerbate mental health challenges.
— Chronic Pain
Persistent physical discomfort without a clear medical cause is common among trauma survivors. This pain can be debilitating and affect daily functioning.
— Headaches and Gastrointestinal Issues
Stress-related symptoms, such as headaches and digestive problems, are frequent physical manifestations of trauma. These symptoms can be chronic and severely impact quality of life.
— Cardiovascular Issues
Trauma can increase the risk of heart disease and hypertension. Chronic stress can strain the cardiovascular system, leading to long-term health problems.
— Weakened Immune System
Chronic stress can impair immune function, making the body more susceptible to illnesses. Trauma survivors may experience frequent colds, infections, and other health issues.
— Sleep Disturbances
Insomnia, nightmares, and other sleep disorders are common among trauma survivors. Poor sleep can exacerbate mental health issues and hinder recovery.
— Respiratory Problems
Trauma can cause or exacerbate conditions like asthma or other breathing difficulties. Stress and anxiety can lead to shallow breathing or hyperventilation.
— Sexual Dysfunction
Trauma, particularly sexual abuse, can lead to difficulties with sexual functioning and intimacy. Survivors may experience fear, anxiety, and avoidance of sexual activity.
— Eating Disorders
Some individuals may develop unhealthy eating habits or disorders such as anorexia, bulimia, or binge eating as a coping mechanism. These behaviours can further impact physical and mental health.
Effective Treatment Approaches
Comprehensive treatment is essential for recovery and resilience in trauma survivors. Here are some effective strategies:
— Specialised Therapy
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
This approach helps individuals process and reframe their traumatic experiences. By addressing negative thought patterns and behaviours, CBT can significantly reduce trauma symptoms.
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
A structured therapy that encourages the patient to briefly focus on the trauma while experiencing bilateral stimulation, aiding in the processing of distressing memories. EMDR is highly effective in reducing PTSD symptoms.
— Support Groups and Holistic Practices
Support Groups
Connecting with others who have similar experiences can provide a sense of community and understanding. Support groups offer a safe space to share experiences and coping strategies.
— Mindfulness and Meditation
Practising mindfulness and meditation can help reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and enhance overall mental clarity. These practices encourage present-moment awareness and acceptance.
Learning to be present and concentrate on the moment, on feelings and to acknowledge and accept them, so that you can understand and recognise triggers and thought patterns that may be detrimental to your quality of life.
— Yoga and Physical Activity
Engaging in regular physical activity, such as yoga, walking, cycling, or swimming, can significantly boost mood and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators.
You can also try low-impact exercises such as Qi gong and stretching.
5 Natural Self-Care Tools for Recovery
Self-care practices are invaluable for maintaining mental and physical well-being, especially when coping with stress or recovering from trauma. Here are five natural self-care practices that can help:
1. Mindfulness Meditation
Practising mindfulness involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. This can help reduce stress, improve emotional regulation, and enhance overall mental clarity.
Daily mindfulness exercises, even for a few minutes, provide significant benefits.
2. Physical Activity
Regular exercise, whether it's yoga, walking, cycling, or swimming, can significantly boost mood and decrease symptoms of anxiety and depression. Physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins, often known as the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators.
Aim to spend as much time outdoors. Trekking and long walks in nature are also considered exercises, and so are running and playing with your dog.
3. Spending Time in Nature
Being outdoors and engaging with nature can have a calming effect on the mind and body. Activities like hiking, gardening, or simply taking a walk in a park can help reduce feelings of stress and increase feelings of relaxation and well-being.
Have you heard of forest bathing?
No, then today is the day to give it a go.
4. Balanced Nutrition
Eating a healthy, balanced diet is essential for a healthy mind and body. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, whole grains, lean protein, and plenty of fruits and vegetables can support brain health and improve mood. Avoiding high-sugar and processed foods is also beneficial.
5. Adequate Sleep
Ensuring you get enough sleep is essential for both mental and physical health. Sleep helps to repair and restore brain function and regulate mood. Creating a calming bedtime routine and striving for 7-9 hours of sleep per night can greatly improve psychological resilience and overall health.
6. Spirituality
Spirituality can play a crucial role in healing from trauma. For many, faith and a connection to something greater than themselves can provide comfort, purpose, and a sense of community.
Finding Meaning and Purpose
Engaging in spiritual practices can help individuals find meaning in their experiences and cultivate a sense of purpose. This can be through prayer, meditation, attending religious services, or engaging in personal reflection.
Spirituality isn’t necessarily associated with religion. It is about believing in something greater than ourselves and that everything that is meant to happen will, that you are not alone, and that the only way from the bottom is up.
Living Authentically According to Core Values
Spirituality often encourages individuals to live in alignment with their core values and beliefs. This alignment can provide a sense of peace and fulfilment, helping to counteract the negative effects of trauma.
Building a Supportive Community
Many spiritual and religious communities offer support and fellowship, providing a network of individuals who share similar values and beliefs. This community can offer emotional support and practical help during difficult times.
Enhancing Emotional Resilience
Faith and spiritual practices can enhance emotional resilience by promoting positive emotions, such as hope, compassion, and forgiveness. These practices can help trauma survivors cope with their experiences and foster a sense of inner strength.
The Link Between Trauma and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
As we continue our series on IBS, we have to talk about trauma and its impact on the stress response, gut health, and, therefore, mental health.
Trauma can have profound effects on both mental and physical health, and one notable physical manifestation often linked to trauma is Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). IBS is a common gastrointestinal disorder characterized by abdominal pain, discomfort, and changes in bowel habits, such as diarrhoea or constipation. Research has increasingly highlighted the correlation between trauma and the development or exacerbation of IBS symptoms.
Understanding the Connection
— Stress Response and Gut Health
Trauma triggers a significant stress response in the body, leading to the release of stress hormones like cortisol. These hormones can affect the gastrointestinal system, leading to changes in gut motility, increased intestinal permeability, and alterations in the gut microbiota. These changes can contribute to the development of IBS symptoms or exacerbate existing ones.
It is key to remember that digestive capacities are suppressed when the body is under stress. When the body is hooked on survival, digestion, and to some extent immunity, are not essential — the body cannot afford to waste energy when it is preparing you to run away or fight back (this is why the stress response is often termed: “fight-or-flight” mode).
— Psychological Factors
Psychological distress, such as anxiety and depression, commonly co-occurs with trauma and can worsen IBS symptoms. Individuals who have experienced trauma may be more prone to heightened visceral sensitivity, where they perceive normal gut sensations as painful or uncomfortable.
Hyperactivation of the HPA axis (the stress response) also disturbs glutamate and GABA balance, leading to a heightened pain sensation. This is why removing stressors is often enough to improve IBS symptoms.
— Hypervigilance and Autonomic Nervous System Dysregulation
Trauma survivors often experience hypervigilance, a state of heightened awareness and sensitivity to potential threats. This state can lead to dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily functions, including digestion. Dysregulation can manifest in IBS symptoms such as diarrhoea, constipation, or abdominal pain.
When digestive capacities are suppressed, your stomach doesn’t produce enough stomach acid to digest proteins and fats, the pancreas and the brush border cannot secrete enough digestive enzymes to pick up the abundance of undigested foods entering the small intestine, and the putrefaction of food in the intestinal tract leads to distention, irritation, inflammation and increased intestinal permeability, also allowing for irritants, allergens and pathogens to enter the bloodstream unrestricted and wreak havoc.
Severity of Symptoms
— Impact on Symptom Severity
Studies have shown that individuals with a history of trauma tend to experience more severe and persistent IBS symptoms compared to those without trauma histories. The chronic stress and dysregulation of the stress response systems can lead to more frequent and intense flare-ups of IBS.
— Co-occurrence with Other Conditions
Trauma survivors with IBS may also be more likely to experience other comorbid conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, or migraines. These conditions share overlapping symptoms and are often exacerbated by stress and trauma.
All of these conditions share one common similarity: gut dysbiosis may lead to the development of biofilms, and biofilms are also implicated in the conditions listed above, which makes certain microbes more able to target certain tissues and wreak havoc.
It is thus vital to resolve trauma and improve your resilience by developing healthy new coping mechanisms and becoming more mindful, to live a life IBS symptom-free.