It would be nice if we could all get through life without any traumas, but unfortunately, many young people will experience some kind of traumatic event before they are out of their teens, and the impact can be devastating on their mental health.
If you’ve experienced a traumatic event in your own life, and you’re finding it difficult to get over, or it’s affecting your life in some way from causing you to be scared and anxious to make your grades fall, you need to know that there is help out there, and there are lots of things you can do to improve your situation, including this stuff…
Talk to your loved ones
Talking about a traumatic experience can be tough, especially when you’re talking to someone you know well, like your parents or a good friend, who you don’t want to make feel bad or sorry about you, but it is one of the best things you can do for your mental health.
By talking about what happened and how it makes you feel with someone you love and trust, you can release some of the pressure you have been feeling, which should really help to improve your mental health somewhat, and you won’t have to worry about hiding things anymore. Not only that, but once they know what’s going on and how you’re feeling, your loved ones will be able to offer you more support and understanding, which is exactly what you need right now.
Take the power back
When something traumatic happens to you, it can make you feel completely powerless. Your emotions overcome you and you start to replay the event over and over in your head wondering what you could have done differently. This only serves to keep you in the bad place you have found yourself.
It’s way more healthy to start thinking about what you can do to take the power back and start feeling better again. This could mean anything from taking positive steps to engage in therapy and overcome the emotions that are overwhelming you to speaking to personal injury attorneys who listen to you and help you to get the justice you are entitled to after a bad event. It doesn’t matter what you do as long as it makes you feel more empowered!
Get back into your normal routine
After a traumatic experience, you may feel like retreating into the safety of your bedroom where you can sleep all day, watch your favorite shows, cry and avoid the problem. There is nothing wrong with this, and it can actually be a healthy way of protecting yourself when things are really hard and your trauma is at its worst, but if you let it go on for too long, it could prevent you from getting your life back. So, as soon as you feel able, start trying to get back to your normal routine, or as close to it as you can. The structure and familiarity will help you to feel more like you, and the more you do it, the easier it will get. Of course, taking that initial step to get back into your normal life can be tough, so if you’re finding it hard, confide in a parent, teacher, or therapist who can support you in those first steps back to normality.
See a therapist
Speaking of therapists, many girls find that they are an invaluable support through tough times and there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed about when it comes to seeing one. A good therapist will take things at your pace and will never force you to talk about things you do not feel comfortable talking about, so if you think seeing a therapist could be beneficial to you, don’t be scared to make that first appointment and start your recovery.
Go easy on yourself
Traumatic events can make the toughest of people crumble, so if you are finding it tough to cope, and if you’re struggling to even take the first step to recovery, don’t beat yourself up! These things take time and there is no point rushing things if you aren’t ready. Talk to your support network, share your fears with them, and take the tiniest steps possible if that’s what you need to do – the people who care about you will not judge you for this one bit!
Trauma does not have to ruin your life; you’re young and you can overcome your issues and go on to lead a great life, and hopefully, some of these tips will help you to do just that in the coming weeks and months.
