Trauma and abuse can be physical or psychological. Both can become debilitating forces when left unaddressed. My goal is to help clients move away from traumatic or abusive situations if they are still in them, and to develop strategies to face and move through them once they are in the past.
Trauma
Emotional and psychological trauma occurs as a result of extraordinarily stressful events that destroy your sense of security. This makes you feel vulnerable in a dangerous world.
Usually traumatic experiences stem from a situation that threatened life or safety, but this isn’t always the case. Physical harm does not have to necessarily be involved. What is traumatizing is your subjective emotional experience of the event, not the objective facts.
Causes of emotional or psychological trauma
An event will most likely lead to emotional or psychological trauma if:
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Emotional and psychological trauma can be caused by single-blow, one-time events, such as a horrible accident, a natural disaster, or a violent attack. Trauma can also stem from ongoing, relentless stress, such as living in a crime-ridden neighborhood or struggling with cancer.
Commonly overlooked causes of emotional and psychological trauma
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Symptoms of emotional and psychological trauma
Physical and emotional reactions to traumatic events or repeated trauma are very different.
Emotional and psychological symptoms of trauma:
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Physical symptoms of trauma:
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Abuse
Violence and Abuse are used to gain and maintain control over you. Abusers often utilize fear, guild, shame, and intimidation to wear you down. They’ll commonly threaten, hurt, or hurt those around you.
General warning signs of domestic abuse
People who are being abused may:
- Seem afraid or anxious to please their partner
- Go along with everything their partner says and does
- Check in often with their partner to report where they are and what they’re doing
- Receive frequent, harassing phone calls from their partner
- Talk about their partner’s temper, jealousy, or possessiveness
Warning signs of physical violence
People who are being physically abused may:
- Have frequent injuries, with the excuse of “accidents”
- Frequently miss work, school, or social occasions, without explanation
- Dress in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars (e.g. wearing long sleeves in the summer or sunglasses indoors)
Warning signs of isolation
People who are being isolated by their abuser may:
- Be restricted from seeing family and friends
- Rarely go out in public without their partner
- Have limited access to money, credit cards, or the car
The psychological warning signs of abuse
People who are being abused may:
- Have very low self-esteem, even if they used to be confident
- Show major personality changes (e.g. an outgoing person becomes withdrawn)
- Be depressed, anxious, or suicidal
(Source: www.helpguide.org)