Recognizing the effects of trauma isn’t easy. Sometimes, we may not realize that we’ve been traumatized by a person or event(s). You may not see the signs of trauma in your everyday life or the symptoms of your trauma are confused with something else, like chronic anxiety or a personality defect.
We often ignore the signs that something deeper is happening within us. This can happen because we’ve been taught to adapt to bad experiences. or you’ve learned to live your life trying to forget about the past. In some cases, you might downplay or ignore how much past experiences hurt you because you are scared, embarrassed, or just don’t want to deal with the painful emotions it brings up.
Why you might not recognize your trauma as trauma
Recognizing trauma and comprehending its effects on your life can be challenging, particularly when you don’t know what trauma looks like in everyday life. It’s common for someone to not label their own experiences as traumatic until they learn about what trauma actually is. Many of us perceive trauma reactions as ordinary incidents in the chaos of everyday life.
When you’ve known a life of trauma, you might start to think it’s just how life is supposed to be. Traumatic reactions are a regular thing in your daily routine for you and those around you. you don’t even realize how much it’s hurting you because you’re so used to the hurt. you’ve kind of gotten used to being numb to the hurt.
Trauma can come from a variety of experiences.
Your reactions to trauma can manifest in unique ways, too. Many of us don’t quite understand why we do the things we do. These behaviors can also overlap with co-occurring mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, or substance abuse. The complexity of mental health issues contributes to the frequent oversight of trauma., Patients and even their healthcare professionals may focus on treating the accompanying mental health conditions without fully addressing any underlying traumatic experiences. This explains why some people have trouble finding success in mental health treatment despite several attempts.
Additionally, many families avoid discussions surrounding trauma. This creates an environment where the topic is stigmatized and discouraged. This lack of open dialogue reinforces the tendency to overlook or invalidate traumatic experiences or reactions. Individuals may hesitate to share their experiences, fearing judgment, disbelief, or rejection from others. Consequently, they may unintentionally dismiss or downplay the significance of their traumatic encounters, hindering their recognition and acknowledgment.
It is vital to create a culture where we’re all understanding, caring, and open about talking about trauma. If we stop making it something you might feel ashamed of and provide you with a safe place to talk, we can make sure that trauma gets noticed and taken seriously. Through education, awareness, and support, we can help people see that they don’t have to accept trauma as normal. We want everyone reading this to understand you’re not alone. Your experiences are valid. With the right help, you can learn to feel good again.
The negative impact of overlooking the symptoms
Failure to recognize the signs of trauma can significantly hinder the healing process and perpetuate persistent emotional distress. Refusing to address the effects of trauma can lead to a prolonged sense of isolation. Trauma survivors may feel alone in their struggles and find it challenging to articulate their needs to others.
It is crucial to emphasize the significance of recognizing trauma and its effects. By acknowledging and validating the presence of trauma, individuals can begin to confront and address underlying wounds. This recognition is a critical step towards healing and reclaiming one’s well-being.
Shedding light on trauma and its potential impact is important. As individuals and as a society, doing so fosters understanding, empathy, and healing. This collective acknowledgment of trauma is essential for creating an environment that promotes healing, resilience, and support for those who have experienced trauma.
Symptoms overlooked or misunderstood
Numbness
Trauma can sometimes lead to a sense of emotional numbness or detachment. Individuals may feel disconnected from their emotions or have difficulty experiencing pleasure or joy. This symptom is often overlooked as it can be mistaken for a natural response to stress or other factors.
Example: Emily is a survivor of a traumatic event in which she witnessed a violent crime. Emily wakes up feeling detached and emotionally disconnected. Despite going through her daily routine, she finds it challenging to experience genuine emotions. She notices that vibrant activities or events that used to bring her joy now leave her feeling indifferent or empty. Even when interacting with loved ones, she struggles to connect on an emotional level, often feeling like she’s going through the motions without truly experiencing the depth of emotions. By numbing her emotions, her mind stays in survival mode. Her brain attempts to create a sense of distance from any distressing experiences and sensations. Numbing helps to stop flashbacks of traumatic memories. This is her mind’s attempt at providing a semblance of control and stability in her daily life.
Dissociation
Dissociation is a defense mechanism that can occur in response to trauma, where individuals feel disconnected from their thoughts, emotions, or the present moment.
Example: Mark is a survivor of childhood trauma involving physical and emotional abuse. As a result of the trauma, Mark experiences dissociation as a coping mechanism. Throughout his day, Mark often finds himself feeling disconnected from his surroundings and his sense of self. During these episodes, he may have difficulty remembering details of his day or significant events from his past. He might sometimes feel like he isn’t real, and neither are the people or the world around him.
Relationship difficulties
Trauma can affect relationships, leading to challenges with trust, intimacy, or emotional expression. Individuals may struggle with forming or maintaining healthy connections with others. Relationship difficulties stemming from trauma can be overlooked or attributed solely to other factors within the relationship.
Example: Jessica and Michael have been in a committed relationship for several years. They both experienced significant traumas in their past, which are impacting their relationship dynamics. Due to Jessica’s previous experiences of emotional abuse, she struggles with trust and vulnerability in her relationship with Michael. She constantly fears being hurt or betrayed, leading her to question his intentions and actions. This deep-seated mistrust causes her to become guarded and defensive, often pushing Michael away and creating a barrier between them.
On the other hand, Michael experienced childhood neglect, which left him with a fear of abandonment and an intense need for reassurance and validation. He often seeks constant reassurance from Jessica, needing her to provide a sense of security and stability. This reliance on Jessica for emotional support can create a strain on the relationship, as it places an overwhelming burden on her to constantly provide the reassurance he seeks.
The trauma they both carry impacts their ability to effectively communicate and resolve conflicts.
When triggered, certain situations or topics can remind them of their traumatic experiences. they may shut down emotionally or react with heightened emotions. This can lead to frequent misunderstandings, arguments, and difficulty finding common ground. Trauma-related triggers and unresolved emotions may also prevent them from fully connecting on an intimate and emotional level. They may struggle with expressing their needs, desires, and vulnerabilities. This can hinder their ability to foster a deep sense of intimacy and connection in relationships.
How Trauma Therapy in NJ Can Help
Therapy can provide you with a safe space to explore traumas, understand how they impact relationships, and develop coping mechanisms that support recognizing overlooked symptoms. With commitment, empathy, and professional guidance, a therapist can help in building the potential to create a stronger, and more resilience that can withstand the challenges posed by experiences of trauma.
PTSD Treatment In New Jersey
There is hope for change. Consider starting trauma counseling with a New Jersey trauma therapist. Trauma and PTSD counseling includes understanding why your body and mind react in the ways that they do to certain triggers. Trauma therapy also includes learning ways to calm your nervous system and cope with triggers. Your trauma therapist in New Jersey can help you find your strength and resiliency to keep going on. Your behavior and your intentions can start to match up. You can find pieces of yourself again that you thought were lost forever.
If You’re Ready To Be Proactive Instead Of Reactive, Meet With A Trauma Therapist In New Jersey
We all deserve support in navigating life’s challenges. To get started, fill out a request form on our contact page. One of our compassionate team members will contact you within 1 business day (excluding holidays) for a phone consultation. The initial phone consultation is complimentary and helps us learn more about how we can help.
During the initial phone consultation, our compassionate team member will ask about what you’ve been struggling with, or what you hope to achieve in therapy. We will share information about each of our therapists, including their specialties and availability.
If we’re a good fit for your needs, we match you with one of our New Jersey therapists. If either of us feel we are not the right fit, we can provide the names of other providers who may be able to help.
Couples Counseling And Trauma Therapy In New Jersey
If you or your partner have experienced childhood trauma, it might already be showing up in your partnership. In an intimate relationship, it is crucial to understand some of the patterns that your partner saw during childhood. Trauma forces you to re-learn a lot of emotions, thoughts, and ways to express both. Childhood trauma typically creates fear, anxiety, anger, depression, and guilt. Trauma can even result in chronic mental health issues such as PTSD.
Trauma-related conditions and behaviors are hard on everyone–the person dealing with the trauma and the people around them. Trying to work through traumatic healing together is challenging, but not impossible.
Meet with a trauma therapist in New Jersey to guide you and your partner through this experience. We can help your relationship by applying the necessary techniques to heal from trauma together. If you need support in your relationship with trauma-informed couples counseling, contact us here.
Other Services Offered with Mindful Connections Counseling
Trauma therapy isn’t the only service our team offers. We are happy to also offer premarital counseling, support with infidelity, child therapy, teen therapy, divorce therapy, family therapy, couples, and parent coaching. In addition, we also offer therapy for anxiety, grief, eating disorders, mind body wellness, race related stress, and cannabis-informed therapy. Feel free to visit our FAQ or blog to learn more!
