Trauma: Understanding and recovering from it
Trauma can come from various life instances, and the recovery process can look different for different people. For some, it takes a period of time to heal from trauma. For others, seeking professional treatment is necessary for recovery.
Everyday situations might trigger flashbacks, which may lead to feelings of anger, fear, anxiety, guilt or numbness. Coping skills and grounding techniques are used to work through past traumatic experiences, especially when a painful flashback from the event resurfaces.
Below, we offer tips on how you can begin taking steps towards recovering from a traumatic event.
Meditation
Meditation and mindfulness techniques can help you overcome the side effects from trauma. When first learning how to meditate, try using a guided meditation app. One such app is Insight Timer. Insight Timer offers free, guided meditations, meditation music and group discussion options.
Deep breathing
Increased respiration is one of your body’s fight-or-flight responses. During a moment of panic, focus on breathing in deeply through your nose and out through your mouth. Pay close attention to how your body reacts when talking or thinking about the traumatic event and identify coping skills that make your mind and body feel calm. Commonly used coping …