Why Processing Your Trauma Is So Important

Did you know that 70% of people witness or experience trauma? A great way to prevent trauma from turning into post-traumatic stress syndrome is to process it sooner rather than later.

The world isn’t short on trauma — about 70% of adults in the United States witness or experience a traumatic event at least once in their lives. While not everyone who has trauma in their past goes on to struggle with it in the future, enough do to make it more than a minor concern.

About 6% of adults in the US will develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at some point in their lives, to say nothing of the millions more who may not meet the criteria for PTSD but still suffer the effects of unprocessed trauma.

At Point of View Mental Health in Scottsdale, Arizona, it’s been our experience that processing trauma early on can not only help prevent PTSD but can also generally improve mental health on all levels. Witnessing or experiencing trauma is impactful and often life-altering, and our goal is to make sure those negative effects don’t linger.

Trauma — not easy to define

Trauma isn’t black and white. Trauma is personal, and while something may not be particularly traumatic to one person, it can be to another.

Some examples of trauma that universally affect people include:

Sexual, physical, and emotional abuse
Combat
Witnessing violence
Loss
Illness
Accidents
Natural disasters

There’s a good case to be made that we all collectively went through a traumatic event when the world shut down during COVID-19.

Warning signs of trauma issues

The effects of trauma, including PTSD, can be incredibly subtle, and you may not notice them at first. Some warning signs of unresolved trauma include:

Isolation
Jumpiness and irritability
Flashbacks and nightmares
Avoiding the people, places, or things you associate with the trauma
Low mood
Anxiety
Trouble sleeping
Guilt or shame
Loss of interest

These symptoms can develop fairly soon after the trauma or may come on slowly and only become noticeable years down the road. This is because, in an attempt to protect you, your brain may bury traumatic events, but they can still bubble up and affect your thinking patterns, behaviors, and emotions.

When to deal with your trauma

Not everyone who witnesses or experiences trauma needs to work on it afterward. Some people can process their experiences quickly and move on.

Many people, however, struggle in the aftermath and, even if they don’t develop PTSD, their lives are still changed by the trauma — and not for the better.

When we refer to processing your trauma, we’re talking about helping your brain move forward. Trauma triggers your fight-or-flight response. This response can get stuck, which is why so many people with PTSD experience heightened anxiety and reactivity.

Through psychotherapy, we can help you cope with trauma so it doesn’t hijack your life. Each person is different and our team at Point of View Mental Health meets you where you are. Sometimes we work on remembering the event while other times we leave it alone because we don’t want to retraumatize you.

Ultimately, our goal is to steer your thoughts toward healthier patterns and help you put the trauma firmly in the past, where it belongs.

For expert help with your trauma, please call our office at 520-999-9114 or contact us online. We also offer telemedicine services throughout the state of Arizona.