Experiencing a traumatic event can be frightening, But trauma treatment and recovery can help a person live a heathy life. Events including personal or environmental disasters, or being threatened with an assaultcan cause strong and lingering stress. Strong emotions, jitters, sadness, or depression may all be part of this normal and temporary reaction to the stress of an overwhelming event. Sometimes stress can be good. For instance, it can help you develop skills needed to manage potentially threatening situations in life. However, stress can be harmful when it is severe enough to make you feel overwhelmed and out of control.
While everyone experiences stress at times, a prolonged bout of it can affect your health and ability to cope with life. That’s why getting Trauma Treatment is important. Emotions like fear, sadness, or other symptoms of depression are normal, as long as they are temporary and don’t interfere with daily activities. If these emotions last too long or cause other problems, it’s a different story.
Addiction and Trauma
No Cost Rehab focuses on getting addiction treatment for folks suffering from drug abuse and alcoholism. So it may seem strange to have a page focused on trauma. We do this for two reasons. First, we want our site to provide value to our visitors. Second, and most important, is the connection between trauma and addiction. Whatever one’s addiction (alcohol, drugs or gambling), it tends to link back to trauma in one’s life. This can happen in either childhood or adult life. At first, addictions present themselves as solutions but they are actually symptoms of a bigger problem. Trauma without solution creates an emotional and mental void. Rather than medicating the pain of the trauma through addictive substances or behaviors, there are treatments to help people to move through their trauma. The bottom line is that sometimes our past creates a need to medicate with whatever we can find that helps. Once you peel back the layers, you can find a new way of living that is free of addiction.
Symptoms of Stress
Physical or emotional tension are often sign of stress. Reactions to a stressful event include:
- Disbelief and shock
- Tension and irritability
- Fear and anxiety about the future
- Difficulty making decisions
- Being numb to one’s feelings
- Loss of interest in normal activities
- Loss of appetite
- Nightmares and recurring thoughts about the event
- Anger
- Increased use of alcohol and drugs
- Sadness and other symptoms of depression
- Feeling powerless
- Crying
- Sleep problems
- Headaches, back pains, and stomach problems
- Trouble concentrating
Solutions
The best ways to manage stress in hard times are through self-care:
- Avoid drugs and alcohol. They may seem to be a temporary fix to feel better, but in the long run they can create more problems and add to your stress—instead of take it away.
- Find support. Seek help from a partner, family member, friend, counselor, doctor, or clergy-person. Having a sympathetic, listening ear and sharing about your problems and stress really can lighten the burden.
- Connect socially. After a stressful event, it is easy isolate yourself. Make sure that you are spending time with loved ones. Consider planning fun activities with your partner, children, or friends.
- Take care of yourself.
- Eat a healthy, well-balanced diet
- Exercise regularly
- Get plenty of sleep
- Give yourself a break if you feel stressed out—for example, treat yourself to a therapeutic massage
- Maintain a normal routine
- Stay active. You can take your mind off your problems by giving to others, helping a neighbor, volunteering in the community, even taking the dog on a long walk. These can be positive ways to channel your feelings.
Recognize when you need more help. If problems continue or you are thinking about suicide, talk to a psychologist, social worker, or professional counselor.
Of course if you or someone you know need immediate help you can contact us.
