Experiencing any type of trauma in life can cause severe emotional and mental distress that can manifest itself in a variety of ways. But, it’s important to know the difference between regular trauma, and complex trauma.
Complex trauma is a kind of trauma that occurs repeatedly - usually over an extended period of time.
Where traditional trauma might be something like a car accident or a severe injury, complex trauma often includes things like child abuse and domestic abuse.
Because of the different nature of complex trauma, it often requires different types of treatment as well.
Thankfully, there are things you can do to support your own recovery process, and find peace and comfort in your life again with the help of therapy.
1. Practice Mindfulness
When you’ve been struck by trauma again and again in life, it’s easy to lose yourself in those moments. Flashbacks can be frequent and vivid. Fears of the future can be strong and crippling.
If you start to feel overwhelmed by all of it, try to keep yourself grounded in the present moment. Let your thoughts freely come and go, but don’t hang onto them. Instead, think about your breathing. Think about the world around you at this very moment. Mindfulness is a great way to remain in the present and let go of the anxieties often associated with trauma.
2. Recognize Your Feelings
Therapy can help you to work through your feelings and identify your triggers. But, when you’re able to recognize those feelings on your own, give them a name, and let them flow through you, it promotes healing.
Many people with complex trauma struggles try to hide their feelings or push them down. That tends to make things worse, and can even cause more difficulties in the long run. If you want to scream, cry, or yell, do it! Let your feelings out in a way that works for you, instead of hiding them away.
3. Let Go of Judgement
Things like child abuse and domestic abuse over a long period of time can make you feel unworthy, unloved, and with no self-esteem whatsoever. This makes it easy to have internal conflicts with yourself.
For example, if you feel sad, you might not want to show it because you’ve been conditioned that sadness equals weakness.
You’ll know when these internal conflicts are happening. Though they’re rough to get through, you get to be the one to decide who wins, in the end. Fight back against that negative self-talk that has been pushed into your mindset for years. Instead, focus on your true sense of self without judgment. A therapist can help you to do this more regularly, but doing it on your own each day will make things easier.
4. Connect With Others
Complex trauma often leaves people feeling isolated and alone. You might feel ashamed or embarrassed, or think no one else has ever gone through it before.
That’s why connecting with others is crucial to the treatment process. Simply talking to someone you trust and care about can lift some of the weight of trauma off of your shoulders. But, if you can find a support group of other trauma survivors, you’ll be able to open up even more and understand that others are struggling just as much.
Complex trauma lives up to its name. It’s difficult to work through on your own, and I highly recommend reaching out to a therapist to identify not only the underlying causes of your experiences but how they’re affecting you today. By working with a professional, you can get the help you need to break free from the traumatic chains of the past.
Once you start working with a professional, these supportive self-recovery resources can help to make each day just a little bit easier along your healing journey.