Approximately 6% of the United States population suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Being a survivor of trauma can be difficult to deal with, but there are many steps you can take toward trauma recovery.
Restful healing is one of the most notable step. Listed below is information on the benefits it provides and how you can get started.
What Is Restful Healing?
As the name implies, restful healing involves taking time to reflect and recover. It gives trauma victims the opportunity to minimize stress and assess their situation.
This process involves being at peace with minimizing social interactions, a lack of productivity, and any other steps required to get better.
What Are Its Benefits?
Restful healing is especially useful for those who have busy lifestyles. It’s not uncommon for trauma victims to cope with their feelings by staying as busy as possible.
They might focus primarily on work, chores, exercise, etc., as opposed to confronting their feelings. By staying distracted, though, you minimize your capability to heal.
When this initial “trauma drive” wears off after a traumatic event, dealing with your pain can be overwhelming. Before things progress to this point, you can incorporate restful healing to keep yourself grounded and begin recovery. This process also allows you to objectively assess your traumatic experience.
You’ll gain insight into missed warning signs and the effect the trauma has had on your life. Keep in mind that this is not a time to self-criticize.
Instead, use it as an opportunity to prevent similar issues in the future. For example, let’s assume a traumatic experience was caused by a particular individual in your life. You can minimize or eliminate your interactions with them.
There’s something to be said about the physical rest you’ll experience during this form of recovery. Making time for yourself can help you get much more sleep.
It can also help you recover from the physical strain you experience on a daily basis. Someone taking care of young children will likely appreciate the time to relax and decompress. The same can be said about those with hectic work schedules.
Trauma Stages
There are five primary stages of trauma. These include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Understanding these can help you better manage your situation and promote healing.
1. Denial
The first stage of overcoming trauma is denial. You may have difficulty understanding and accepting the events that transpired. This is a natural defense mechanism that aims to keep you from reexperiencing traumatic feelings.
2. Anger
Once someone moves past denial, they generally feel very angry at the situation. They might blame themselves or others or feel a sense of injustice. They often question why they experienced their situation.
Anger can manifest in a variety of ways, including irritability, isolation, and defiance. At times, post-traumatic anger can lead to violent behavior. This violence could be directed at the cause of the trauma or be indiscriminate.
3. Bargaining
Eventually, the anger stage will wear off. At this point, the victim may start to justify why the scenario occurred.
For instance, someone who was physically assaulted might think of various “what-if” scenarios that could have led to a different outcome. Some people might begin to feel as though they deserved what happened to them.
4. Depression
Regardless of how the bargaining stage concludes, the next step is depression. The trauma-related feelings began to sink in during this time.
Those in the depression stage typically experience hopelessness, a lack of energy, and feelings of guilt. It can be very difficult to overcome trauma-related depression on one’s own.
5. Acceptance
The final stage of trauma aftermath is acceptance. Victims begin to realize that they can’t change what happened and focus on moving forward.
This is when true healing begins to occur. During the final stage, you may feel emotions from the previous stages.
Depression and anger are quite common. At this point, though, you’ll be better equipped to handle these feelings. People in the acceptance stage are also more lucid when communicating their experiences.
Common Causes of Trauma
There are countless situations that could lead to trauma. It’s even possible that trauma occurs without being directly involved in a situation. To clarify, someone might be traumatized if they witness an act of extreme violence.
The same can be said about witnessing a loved one fall severely ill or pass away. Assault, injury, and natural disasters can also be traumatic.
Children and teenagers are especially vulnerable to psychological trauma. Their recovery process is more complicated, as well.
Trauma Symptoms
There’s a handful of trauma symptoms to keep an eye out for. Emotional symptoms include confusion, numbness, and anxiety. They also include feelings from the aforementioned five stages of trauma.
Someone managing a traumatic experience might act abnormally. An individual who is normally quiet and reserved could be loud and boisterous.
Someone calm and collected could engage in erratic or risky behavior. For some individuals, there may be hardly any symptoms.
Getting Started with Restful Healing
The best way to leverage this process is by working with a professional. They have the experience and resources to help you overcome your situation.
When searching for someone to work with, look into their past reputation. This will provide insight into your potential results.
Only work with licensed individuals who have the appropriate level of industry experience. Inexperienced professionals aren’t likely to meet your needs. Consider how comfortable you feel communicating with them.
Keep searching until you find someone who’s easy to talk to and seems interested in helping you. Connecting with the person you choose is essential, and you shouldn’t settle for someone you have difficulty resonating with.
Finally, consider their pricing structure. This will help prevent financial surprises from arising.
Healing Trauma Doesn’t Have to Be Difficult
Restful healing is a great way to get started toward trauma recovery. The above information has everything you need to know to ensure your journey goes as smoothly as it should.
Get in touch with this private practice today to learn more about the options available. Their team of professionals is ready to guide you through the process.
