How to combat trauma? 5 useful tips

Combating psychological trauma is complex, but far from impossible. In fact, it is part of the usual in psychotherapy processes, and there are currently several intervention programs and strategies that help to achieve this, achieving persistent effects in the long term term.

In this article we will review several tips to know how to combat trauma, or rather, overcome it.

• Related article: "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: Causes and Symptoms"

What is a psychological trauma?

Psychological trauma is an emotional and behavioral alteration that is part of the aftermath of a painful event through which a person has passed. These kinds of events may have to do with a situation in which physical violence occurred or an accident that endangered someone's physical integrity (and in fact, these characteristics are very common), but it may also be the case that what is harmful is more abstract and subtle, and does not involve physical pain or injuries, bruises ...

In practice, psychological trauma can be defined as the emotional "mark" that these situations left on the memory system of the person who develops this alteration. These psychological sequelae can remain latent or “asleep” for a time and, at a certain point, begin to manifest themselves and prevent the person from having a good quality of life.

Symptoms through which trauma manifests tend to be linked to excess anxiety, although this alteration is not part of the category of anxiety disorders (in which we find phobias, panic attacks, generalized anxiety and other psychopathologies Similar).

It is also common for feelings of guilt: many people feel responsible for suffering from this problem, even if they have traumatized by experiences in which they were the victims (mistreatment, sexual abuse in the childhood…).

As with all psychological disorders in general, trauma can be present in varying degrees of intensity, and in the most severe cases, it can even be accompanied by dissociative-type symptoms. For example, these occur when the person loses awareness of when and where he is when evoking memories related to the trauma.

• You may be interested in: "Emotional memory: what is it and what is its biological basis?"

5 keys to combat and overcome trauma

Fortunately, trauma is an experience that can be overcome. Below you will find several of the key ideas to know how to do it, although you must bear in mind that each case has its peculiarities.

1. Go to therapy

The first tip is that it is essential to attend therapy. Trauma is serious enough to seek professional help and do not underestimate its destructive capacity.

From the psychotherapy and medicine provides tools that help the patient both to mitigate the discomfort generated by the symptoms of trauma and to overcome this condition, give it a resolution. In this way, intervention programs set short-term and long-term objectives.

What's more, It is important that once the treatment has started, you are constant going to the sessions and not interrupting it. when you notice that you feel better. Falling into this error can cause you to lose a good part of your progress in a matter of days or a few weeks. made, since they have not yet been fully "fixed" in your way of managing emotions and interacting with the environment.

On the other hand, as the doctors and psychologists who take your case will know better the characteristics of your individual problem, in the If its indications contradict lists of general advice like this one, you should give more value to its word.

• Related article: "The 8 benefits of going to psychological therapy"

2. Don't try to block those memories

If you become obsessed with trying to shut out those intrusive thoughts linked to trauma, you are giving them more power. on you, and you will only achieve the opposite effect to the desired one. Also, do not try to "blank" your mind, as that is impossible and you will get frustrated.

Assume that you cannot totally control what goes through your mind and that it will always be subject to a torrent of thoughts that will arise one after another, some of which will generate a certain discomfort.

3. Don't be afraid of the concepts surrounding trauma

Every trauma has a core of images and ideas that are unbearable at any given moment and make us feel very evil, and a whole series of mental contents that orbit around it and that cause us discomfort, but not in such a way intense. The best thing is that you do not assume that this second group of thoughts and images will lead you to relive the trauma., and that you try to "lose your fear".

For example, do not avoid visiting certain places that are indirectly linked to what makes you relive traumatic memories, and in fact, try to give them other connotations. Do new, positive and stimulating activities from your point of view in a way that these kinds of experiences are linked to those contents of "the orbit". That way you will lose respect for them and the domains of trauma will narrow more and more, giving you more room for maneuver.

• You may be interested in: "What is trauma and how does it influence our lives?"

4. Practice accepting discomfort

You must train your ability to keep certain discomfort-generating content in mind. Not just those related to trauma, but all of them in general. In this way you will be better and better at not avoiding certain ideas and images, and these will leave your consciousness as they have come.

In this sense, you may find it useful to practice Mindfulness. These types of exercises will lead you to be aware of the experiences associated with the here and now without judging them, just accepting them for what they are.

• Related article: "Emotional pain: what is it and how to manage it"

5. Lean on your friends and family

The process of overcoming a trauma is not totally individual. We are social beings, and it is normal to seek support from others when we feel especially vulnerable. Try to avoid isolating yourself in your way of experiencing trauma.

Do you need professional psychological support?

If you are going through difficult times and you notice that you need psychotherapeutic support, contact me.

My name is Javier Ares and I am a General Health Psychologist, an expert in forms of discomfort associated with anxiety, depression and / or relationship problems, which I address above all from cognitive-behavioral therapy.