Working through Trauma Symptoms and Self-Soothing/Calming

          There are many negative experiences in life which can affect human beings.  Ordinary everyday events can impact people emotionally some more than others.  However, when major life changes happen, or unexpected horrible events happen (e.g. mass shootings, natural disasters, etc.) the emotional impact can be much greater.  This greater impact/trauma can be caused by major/traumatic events.

SOME SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA:

     Hyperarousal: A person will constantly feel on edge.  They will be scanning their surroundings, counting exits, watching crowds for the slightest change in movement.  They may be easily startled by loud noises such as a car backfiring, guns going off, fireworks, etc.

     Nightmares/Night Terrors: A person may continue to have nightmares of the traumatic event, actively reliving the traumatic experience during sleep.  The person suffering through trauma may experience flashbacks while they are awake: this occurs when a person who experienced trauma is ‘triggered’ by a sound, smell, event, or place and are suddenly back at the point in their lives where the trauma occurred.

     Avoidance: A person will stay away from areas where a trauma occurred or that are similar to it.  For example, if a person was a present during or a victim during a mass shooting or natural disaster they may avoid larger gatherings of people, may avoid large bodies of water, may avoid certain areas of the country.

     Differing Behaviors: Be aware of sudden changes in mood.  A person may have angry outbursts, may suddenly burst into tears, they may lash out verbally , the person suffering from trauma could have great difficulty focusing.

STRATEGIES TO COPE WITH TRAUMA:

Ask For Help:  Many people who experience a traumatic event feel that they need to handle everything on their own or feel they do not want to burden others.  This is in fact one of the worst things to do.  Having a solid support network whether friends, family or colleagues is essential for coping with trauma.  Make an appointment with a counselor/therapist to help you work through your feelings of trauma.  Sometimes all it takes is someone willing to listen.

Routine:  Returning back to work or to a daily routine can provide a sense of continuity, that life continues to go on.  This does not mean you are not affected by trauma nor that you are ignoring it but that you are able to function at an adequate level.  NOTE:  If this is too difficult seek immediate counseling/therapy.

Deep Breathing:  This involves taking deep breaths in through ones nose, and out through ones mouth.  With every inhale the tummy rises and with every exhale it lowers.  This allows for a much deeper breath.  Other names for this can be referred to as belly breathing.

Guided Imagery Exercise: Working with a counselor/therapist/life coach or other trained individual to guide you through a meditation and focus your mind on a safe place.  As the meditation exercise continues more and more detail is added to the image being described.  One such exercise can be found on YouTube at:

Another video on guided imagery can be found on YouTube at:

Mindfulness: Hyper-focusing ones thoughts on a specific task such as deep breathing and focusing on ones breaths.  An example of a mindfulness exercise you can do at home or in a group is as follows:    Mindfulness Exercise Note:  Please close your eyes for this exercise.  The facilitator will be passing out one raisin for each of you.  Please do not eat the raisin until told to do so.

1. Breathe in through your nose for 5 seconds.  Hold your breath for 5 seconds and then breathe out through your mouth for 5 seconds.
2. Holding: First, take a raisin and hold it in the palm of your hand or between your finger and thumb. Focusing on it, imagine that you’ve just dropped in from Mars and have never seen an object like this before in your life.
3. Seeing: Take time to really see it; gaze at the raisin with care and full attention. Let your eyes explore every part of it, examining the highlights where the light shines, the darker hollows, the folds and ridges, and any asymmetries or unique features.
4. Touching: Turn the raisin over between your fingers, exploring its texture, maybe with your eyes closed if that enhances your sense of touch.
5. Smelling: Holding the raisin beneath your nose, with each inhalation drink in any smell, aroma, or fragrance that may arise, noticing as you do this anything interesting that may be happening in your mouth or stomach.
6. Placing: Now slowly bring the raisin up to your lips, noticing how your hand and arm know exactly how and where to position it. Gently place the object in the mouth, without chewing, noticing how it gets into the mouth in the first place. Spend a few moments exploring the sensations of having it in your mouth, exploring it with your tongue.
7. Tasting: When you are ready, prepare to chew the raisin, noticing how and where it needs to be for chewing. Then, very consciously, take one or two bites into it and notice what happens in the aftermath, experiencing any waves of taste that emanate from it as you continue chewing. Without swallowing yet, notice the bare sensations of taste and texture in the mouth and how these may change over time, moment by moment, as well as any changes in the object itself.
8. Swallowing: When you feel ready to swallow the raisin, see if you can first detect the intention to swallow as it comes up, so that even this is experienced consciously before you actually swallow the raisin. Following Finally, see if you can feel what is left of the raisin moving down into your stomach, and sense how the body as a whole is feeling after completing this exercise in mindful eating.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation:  This exercise works by tensing and relaxing ones muscles in sequence.  WRITTEN GUIDE. 

For a video to guide you on progressive muscle relaxation please click the link below:

Here is a Deep Breathing Practice Exercise:

Here is a Guided Imagery Narrated Exercise: