Recognizing the Signs of Emotional Trauma in Adults

Emotional trauma, also known as psychological or mental trauma, is a natural human response to any disturbing, frightening, or distressing life event. Due to trauma, individuals face difficulty coping with stress resulting from traumatic events, and also normally performing daily life functions. The traumatic life events impart strong negative effects on each aspect of the emotional or psychological well-being of individuals. 

Whatever the traumatic situation is, it directly affects the person’s response, behavior, and interactions with others. Moreover, emotional trauma also manifests differently in each individual. They remain in a continuous phase of stress and trauma and do not find any happiness due to the ongoing effects of previously experienced traumatic events. 

However, if individuals do not notice the unusual changes in their physical and mental health after the trauma, then its negative effects can stay longer. But if the signs or symptoms of trauma in adults are recognized early, then they can get timely intervention or treatment to get rid of this mental illness.

Prevalence of Emotional Trauma in Adults 

According to the National Council for Mental Well-being, approximately 70% of US individuals experience any sudden, tragic, or traumatic event at any time in their lives. Likewise, 6% are those who develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Moreover, women are more likely to experience PTSD after traumatic life events. 

Emotional trauma is Individualized

The effects and response of emotional trauma are highly individualized. If one individual is getting into trauma after experiencing or witnessing any traumatic event, then it does not mean that any other individual will also experience the same trauma. The main reason lies in the strength or intensity of the factors that trigger the trauma. Not only does the traumatic event affect the psychological or mental well-being, but it also affects each individual’s thoughts, perception, and underlying coping mechanisms.

You might have seen that only one child of a family who has a toxic environment shows more negative behavior than other siblings or family members. This is due to each individual’s unique response to the same trauma or any unpleasant environment.

What are the common Signs or Symptoms of Emotional Trauma in Adults?

The onset of symptoms of trauma is different for each individual, as some individuals experience it immediately after the traumatic event, while others experience it later in life. The trauma signs usually start appearing after a few weeks, months, or years. 

Some major signs or symptoms or indicators of emotional trauma in adults include:

• Intense feelings of stress or anxiety 
• Anger outbursts
• Excessive fear
• Irritable behavior 
• Difficulty in managing emotions
• Negative emotions
• Most often intrusive thoughts 
• Trouble with focus or concentration
• Mood fluctuations
• Increased arousal 
• Trouble in trusting others
• Avoidant behavior or social withdrawal
• Sleep issues 
• Fatigue or tiredness
• Memory issues
• Sense of hopelessness
• Hyper-vigilance
• Strong feelings of detachment 
• Difficulty in emotional expression
• Cognitive abnormalities
• Difficulty in making bonds with others

What are the Main Causes of Emotional Trauma in Adults?

Several factors contribute to the development of emotional trauma in adults, such as:

Domestic violence 

If children are subjected to domestic violence, then they suffer from emotional trauma. Likewise, those individuals who experience domestic violence from their partners also have to deal with emotional or psychological trauma, which not only affects their mental health but also their relationships and overall quality of life.

Sexual Assault 

Individuals who have experienced any sexual abuse or rape also have to experience the major negative effects of emotional or psychological trauma.

Childhood neglect

If children experience physical or emotional abuse or are neglected by their family or society, then they get into that trauma and therefore have to deal with multiple negative consequences of their previous life, traumatic events, or scenarios.

Medical conditions

Medical trauma can occur in those individuals who suffer from any serious medical condition or illness.

Witnessing any traumatic scenario

It’s not necessary that only those individuals who have experienced the trauma show the negative effects, but individuals who have just witnessed any tragic incident, such as the death of a loved one, also suffer from emotional trauma or emotional breakdown. Becoming a witness is also a leading cause of trauma.

Other traumatic life events that can also trigger the signs or symptoms of emotional trauma are as follows:

• Natural disaster
• Combat or violence
• Unexpected ending of any close relationship
• Sudden car accident 
• Any personal or professional loss

How does Emotional Trauma affect the Brain?

Emotional trauma strongly affects the structure as well as functioning of different regions of the brain, which control the development of stress response, producing and maintaining the intensity of emotions, etc. The following brain regions are affected by the emotional trauma:

• Prefrontal cortex
• Hippocampus
• Amygdala

What are the best ways to recover from Emotional Trauma?

Fortunately, individuals suffering from emotional trauma can recover with the help of the right coping strategies, such as:

Healthy lifestyle 

If you maintain a healthy lifestyle, then you can deal with your emotional instability, as a good and positive daily life routine directly results in the mental stability of individuals.

Nutritious diet

A healthy and nutritious diet is vital for both physical and mental health. If you follow a healthy diet plan, then you can deal with your mood fluctuations and enjoy a good mood and ultimately mental health.

Balanced sleep 

Sufficient sleep also helps individuals to deal with their trauma and experience mental well-being.

Regular exercise

Regular exercise or any physical activity also helps in uplifting the mood, as it can result in the release of endorphins or calming hormones, which exert a positive effect on emotional or psychological health.

Joining trauma support groups

You can also get rid of your trauma by joining different trauma support groups. In support groups, you can find a secure space where you can share your traumatic life experiences with others and also get an insight into what others are facing and how they are trying to cope with their traumas.

Social life

The more you stay alone or isolated, the more you get linked to your trauma. Therefore, if you are facing any trauma in your life, then start focusing on your social life. Go out, sit with your friends, and share with them what you are feeling and get their emotional support. 

Challenge your traumatic thoughts

Do not feel frightened by the negative effects of your trauma. Instead of criticizing your negative thoughts, accept them and make efforts to alter them into positive ones.

Stress management techniques

By employing several stress management techniques, you can also grapple with your traumatic thoughts. Learn the following stress management or relaxation techniques and get yourself out of your trauma:

• Progressive muscle relaxation
• Deep breathing

Mindfulness techniques

Mindfulness techniques help individuals to stay in the present moment and ensure mental peace, calm, and relaxation. Due to emotional trauma, individuals face difficulty in staying in the present moment and always get stuck in the distressing past traumatic memories. However, with the help of meditation, they acknowledge their thoughts and acquire mental relaxation. Most common and useful mindfulness techniques include:

• Meditation
• Guided meditation
• Yoga

Find any reliable support

Individuals battling with any psychological or mental illness always find strong emotional support to deal with the intensity of their negative emotions. So try to find a strong support system, which could be your friends, family, or loved ones.

Find professional support if needed

If you ever feel that your emotional or psychological trauma is devastating your mental health, then you should immediately seek professional help. Find the best mental health professional and eradicate the trauma from your life.

What are the long-term effects of Emotional Trauma in Adults?

The untreated trauma can adversely affect the different life aspects of individuals, which include their personal, professional, and social lives. The major negative effects of emotional trauma in adults are as follows:

Physical effects 

Physical health also gets affected by emotional trauma. The following signs and symptoms start appearing in individuals after developing the trauma:

• Sleep issues (insomnia or hyper-sleeping)
• Chronic pain
• Headache or migraine 
• Negative changes in appetite

Psychological effects 

Under the effect of trauma, the chances of developing common mental health issues also increase, which include:

• Anxiety 
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Other common psychological negative effects of trauma include:

• Difficulty in focus or concentration
• Trouble in making the most important life decisions
• Most often nightmares 

Social effects

Individuals with trauma usually avoid social gatherings due to their strong feelings of shame, guilt, or embarrassment. Moreover, they also face difficulty in making and maintaining strong relationships. 

Other negative effects of emotional and psychological trauma include:

• Emotional numbness
• Alcohol or substance abuse
• Lack of ability to trust
• Reduced confidence and self-esteem
• Attachment issues
• Sense of guilt 
• Wrong selection of partners
• Fear of any kind of change

What is the treatment of Emotional Trauma in Adults?

Emotional trauma can be effectively treated with the help of the following treatment options:

• Medications 
• Psychotherapy

Psychiatric medications 

Medications that assist in managing the symptoms of trauma include:

• Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors 
• Beta blockers
• Anxiolytics

Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy or talk therapy helps individuals to treat or manage their common mental issues, such as trauma. The following are the main therapies that are useful for treating trauma:

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT)

In trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy sessions, the main goal of experts is to identify, challenge, and transform the negative thought patterns and behaviors caused by trauma. Individuals learn the ways to live with mental well-being.

Cognitive processing therapy

This therapy helps in the effective processing of the traumatic memories of individuals. This also involves the identification of negative thought patterns and then teaching individuals to effectively manage the symptoms of trauma, which are negatively interfering with normal life functioning.

Exposure and Response prevention therapy 

This involves the gradual exposure of individuals to the place, person, or any other situation that reminds them of traumatic events. The exposure and response prevention therapy is performed in a controlled environment. Individuals are asked to stop showing their response to their exposure to the trauma-related trigger factors. Initially, individuals face difficulties, but with time, they become addicted to the situation and learn not to show the response.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy

This therapy involves recalling the traumatic memories while moving the eyes. This results in the processing of all trauma-related thoughts and memories and reduces the emotional impact of trauma.  

Acceptance and commitment therapy

As the name indicates, acceptance and commitment therapy assists individuals in accepting their thoughts without taking stress over them. They learn that their thoughts and emotions are just a response to the traumatic situation that happened previously in their life. 

How to help anyone who is dealing with Emotional Trauma?

With the help of a few effective ways, you can help yourself and others in getting rid of trauma, such as:

Listen to them carefully

Always listen to your loved ones with full attention and care. Make them feel secure and comfortable so they share their inner feelings, thoughts, and emotions without any fear of criticism or judgement. Do not criticize them and show your support and encouragement so they feel motivated to come out of their trauma.

Do not pressurize them

Do not force anyone to move, as it is not easy, but not impossible. Always remember that healing takes time and requires patience. Validate their feelings, but don’t pressure them to start their journey of healing. 

Set some boundaries

Learn to set some boundaries in your life, and also teach those who are dealing with any kind of trauma. Most individuals only get stuck in trauma when they do not make any rules or boundaries and let the external force affect their emotional well-being.

Validate their feelings

Do not criticize their thoughts, feelings, or emotions. Instead of this, validate their feelings and assure them that all their feelings or thoughts are valid, and they have to show their courage to deal with their trauma. Moreover, this also helps in reducing the feelings of isolation. 

Offer a secure space 

Give them a secure and non-judgemental environment where they feel relaxed, speak their heart out, and become their true inner self. 

Give them space to be empowered

Do not impose your trauma solutions on them. Instead of this, give them their own space so they can explore themselves and find their solutions or coping strategies to treat their trauma.

Final Remarks

Emotional trauma occurs after experiencing or witnessing any tragic or distressing situation in life, which directly affects their emotional and psychological well-being. Emotional trauma can develop due to several factors, which include childhood abuse, sexual or domestic abuse, and any sudden, unexpected, or tragic life incidents. 

If trauma symptoms are not diagnosed on time and left untreated, then they can result in major negative physical, psychological, and social effects. Therefore, early recognition of the signs or symptoms of emotional trauma is crucial in getting timely treatment and getting rid of ongoing trauma. 

Heal from your Trauma at Renewed Mental Health Group 

Anyone can suffer from trauma, but there is no need to get overwhelmed by it, as healing is possible. Renewed Mental Health Group is a leading platform where you can find the best trauma treatment. Here, you can communicate with a skilled and professional team of experts who are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of emotional trauma. Do not hide your pain and talk with trauma treatment experts and overcome this issue.