Technically trauma is described as a life-threatening situation.
Meaning your life or someone else’s is at threat of ending. However, in this world and in our lives, we describe traumatized as something we experience when under extreme stress, overwhelmed, unable to process or cope or feeling anxiety and on edge. This then could relate to an ongoing problem that puts you into a prolonged state which results in feeling traumatized.
So, let’s unpack it what does it feel like? Heavy, scary, painful, sad, frustrating, jarring, overwhelming, empty, intense, and or numb?
What happens? You don’t sleep well, or you sleep all the time, you lose your appetite or all you want to do is eat, you feel disconnected from your life, you don’t want to go out, you haven’t got the energy for social interactions, forget simple things like bank pin codes etc, any noise makes you jumpy and a mariad of other things.
What can we do to help ourselves? Be gentle with yourself, understand that its a big thing that happened. Take one step at a time, just brush your teeth then decide on one more thing you can manage and do your days like that. Do things that you enjoy, have a bath, go for a walk, read a book. in time when you are feeling stronger you can do more for yourself like find someone to talk to or go for some professional help.
Why should I heal from this and get through it? Because it was happened and whatever your done so far has helped you survive it. Youve got this and it might not feel like it now but it will level you up in your life, you will take less for granted, you will know your strength, you will be there for others in ways you never could before, you will be a better mother, father, daughter, son, friend, partner, employer or employee.
One of the biggest lessons to be learnt is you are not in control of as much as you think you are. You cant control the world or the people in it. What you can do is look yourself be motivated to fill your cup again and take back your power, you know you have it, you know you can.
Cathy Winterboer & Gorette Doria
