Many people may ponder what precisely unresolved trauma is. “Trauma” can be a broad, all-encompassing term; everyone may define it differently. However, certain types of trauma are well-defined, and ways to deal with trauma can help people move forward with their lives.
Unresolved trauma is the aftermath of damaging events that alter how a person sees themselves and the world. These individuals often find some way to distance themselves from the traumatic event. Many strategies can be used to deal with unresolved trauma, including trauma-informed yoga.
If you or someone you know is dealing with some trauma and having trouble getting past it, read on. You might learn more about the nature of trauma, as well as a few coping strategies that can help you move past it in your life.
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What Happens If Trauma Is Not Resolved?
Essentially, the emotional injuries that result from damaging experiences are what compose trauma. These are experiences in which an individual feels as if their life or well-being is in danger. Not all of these situations are actually dangerous, but they do feel dangerous at the time.
For example, a child can have trauma from the experience of being shamed by a teacher or parent or molested by an adult role model. People have trauma resulting from life-changing accidents or the sudden death of loved ones, or even the loss of a job. It is quite common for people to suffer from PTSD when they have served in the military.
When someone has experienced trauma, whether it happens during childhood or adulthood, it will alter that individual’s experience of themselves and the world. Trauma is particularly likely to be severe if it happened when the individual was a child because he or she had fewer coping skills at that point and was more vulnerable in general.
Unresolved trauma is the result of people’s instinct for self-preservation. When people experience trauma, they will often find ways to distance themselves from it. This can take the form of denial that the traumatic event has happened, dissociation from the event, or some sort of repression of the memory of the event.
Many different symptoms are associated with unresolved trauma. These include addictive behaviors, depression, anxiety, confusion, lack of ability to deal with conflict, or a very deeply ingrained belief that the individual does not have any value in the world.
How Do You Fix Unresolved Trauma?
You can do several things to address and potentially fix unresolved trauma. To effectively resolve your trauma, you may have to do one or more of these things. You will often have to work with a qualified therapist for an extended period to make progress. The following are some things that may help you get past trauma:
- Develop an understanding of trauma. You may want to read books about trauma recovery and talk with a therapist about behaviors that could be trauma-related.
- Share your experiences. You might want to write in a journal or confide in a trusted friend or counselor. This might even help you make connections between your current problems and your past trauma.
- Acknowledge your trigger. When you notice that you are triggered by something in your surroundings, acknowledge that you feel triggered rather than letting yourself get lost in the emotional response.
- Develop witness consciousness. Try to look at your thoughts and feelings from the point of view of an observer.
- Become emotionally resilient. Ensure you experience your feelings rather than avoid them, which will help move you towards healing.
- Figure out new methods of self-soothing. Develop new behaviors that are self-caring rather than self-destructive. These might include taking time to care for yourself every day or writing in a journal.
- Look at things from a spiritual perspective. Try to see your life as part of the big picture. This might help you develop some perspective on what you’ve been through.
- Give yourself time. Don’t feel like you need to heal on a particular schedule. Remember that not everyone is the same, and you should feel comfortable healing at your own pace.
What Are the Three Types of Trauma?
It is essential to distinguish between the three types of trauma since trauma can vary a great deal. No two traumatic experiences will affect the individual the same way. Still, it does help to categorize them so that the therapist and individual will have a starting point on developing coping strategies.
Acute Trauma
Usually, acute trauma is associated with one single event that happens in the life of an individual. For example, trauma could be related to a natural disaster, a car accident, an instance of assault or abuse, or witnessing a violent event or some experience that will threaten the individual’s emotional or physical safety.
If the trauma from these incidents is left untreated, it can have a long-lasting negative effect on the person’s psyche. This can have a significant impact on the way the individual lives their life. In some cases, acute trauma is strongly linked with short-term post-traumatic stress disorder.
Several symptoms can be strongly tied to acute trauma, including the following:
- Extreme anxiety or panic
- Irritation and confusion
- Insomnia
- Feelings of being disconnected from oneself and the surroundings or dissociation
- Strange or suspicious behaviors
- Poor grooming and overall lack of self-care
- Decrease in focus and productivity at school or work
Many different treatment strategies can assist an individual who is dealing with acute trauma. Remember that every person is different, and what may work for one will not necessarily work for the next.
However, strategies that have generally been shown to work include:
- Immediate emotional support
- Use of medication that can be either short-term or long-term
- Distancing from the scene of the traumatic event
- Natural or medicinal strategies that help fight insomnia
- Short-term trauma counseling that will help the individual return to feelings of safety and comfort
Chronic Trauma
Chronic trauma is the result of exposure to regular, multiple, and/or prolonged traumatic events that happened over a period of time. For example, someone may have chronic trauma due to having to undergo prolonged treatment for some sort of illness, childhood abuse, domestic violence, sexual abuse, or constant exposure to combat or war situations.
Sometimes, chronic trauma is made up of several acute traumas that happen one after the other. If you leave chronic trauma unresolved or untreated, it can have a long-lasting negative impact on a person’s quality of life, similar to the case with acute trauma.
One significant difference between chronic trauma and acute trauma is that symptoms might not surface with chronic trauma for a long time, perhaps even years. In some cases, people will experience flashbacks, unpredictable emotions, rage, anxiety, and maybe even physical symptoms in the long term.
People who undergo chronic trauma will often need more treatment than acute trauma victims because the pain lasts for a longer time. Chronic trauma patients are best treated by highly qualified and experienced psychologists that specialize in trauma counseling.
Complex Trauma
Complex trauma is the result of exposure to multiple, varied events or experiences that are traumatic to the individual. Often, these happen within an interpersonal relationship. Typically, it involves some feeling of being trapped, will have persistent and severe impacts, and can affect the victim’s physical and emotional health and well-being.
A lot of the time, complex trauma is extreme, ongoing, and planned. It involves challenges that have to do with self-esteem, trust, and shame. Sometimes, it will include coping strategies, such as self-harm, eating disorders, or drug and alcohol use.
It is common for complex trauma to occur when repeated trauma happens against a child. Examples include:
- Forms of child abuse
- Child neglect
- Community violence
- Domestic violence
- War Trauma
- Genocide
- Civil unrest
- Sexual trafficking
- Sexual exploitation
- Cultural dislocation
How Do You Release Trauma from Your Body?
Dealing with trauma can be approached in many beneficial ways. Regardless of the type of trauma, it triggers a response from the nervous system called the fight or flight response. Trauma often happens when someone can’t protect themselves and has to endure a tough situation. Trauma-informed yoga is one way to help calm an overwhelmed nervous system. Unlike methods that only focus on the mind, this type of yoga involves the whole mind and body. It’s believed that without processing and releasing trauma shock, people can stay stuck in a state of imbalance, both physically and emotionally.
Those who’ve experienced trauma often feel unsafe in their bodies. They might feel both overly alert and shut down because of unresolved trauma. Trauma-informed yoga instructors aim to provide a comforting yet energizing practice. Instructors guide students through poses to help balance their nervous systems, including calming and invigorating postures. Students learn to notice moments of safety and comfort during practice, gradually building coping skills for healing and moving forward in life.
Alongside trauma-informed yoga, therapies like EMDR therapy online (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) are part of a holistic approach to trauma recovery. EMDR helps process traumatic memories and experiences, helping integrate them into a healthier perspective. By combining different methods, individuals can access a range of tools tailored to their needs, strengthening their ability to heal and bounce back from trauma.
Resolving Trauma
Unresolved trauma can have a significant effect on the quality of a person’s life. This is why, if a person is dealing with some unresolved trauma, it is crucial to handle it and do everything they can to overcome it.
Trauma-informed yoga is one helpful method here. Many other methods might be effective on their own or even in conjunction with trauma-informed yoga. The top priority for someone dealing with trauma is to do whatever restores their mental health, regardless of what that may entail.
