The first step in trauma recovery is awareness, recognizing that you have been through a traumatic event and acknowledging the feelings and emotions that come with it. Because we are all different in our life experiences or what I refer to as our map of reality (family, where we live, personality, culture, religion, education, how e define our ethics and moral ideas). Trauma for one may not be a ‘big deal’ for another. It’s normal to feel a wide range of emotions such as anger, guilt, shame, fear, and sadness. It’s important to allow yourself to feel these emotions and not suppress them. Feelings are feelings and they don’t have to make sense but need to be validated.

The next step is to seek out positive support from friends, family, or a professional therapist. Remember not everyone understands the impact of trauma and how it can affect someone so deeply that they are unable to function.  People can think they are helping when their words are judgemental.  Talking about your experiences with someone who understands and can offer empathy and understanding can be incredibly healing. A therapist can also help you develop coping tools, strategies, and techniques to manage symptoms of trauma such as anxiety and depression. From the article Trauma in Psychology Today:

Lifestyle changes are an early treatment option to consider. Eating healthy, exercising, avoiding alcohol and drugs, getting enough sleep, seeing loved ones regularly, and emphasizing self-care can help relieve trauma symptoms.

Psychotherapy can help a person build resilience, develop coping skills, and address unresolved feelings that are keeping them stuck. Exposure therapy and cognitive reappraisal therapy are two of the more reliable treatments for trauma and PTSD.

It’s also important to take care of your physical health during the recovery process. Eating a healthy diet, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly can help to reduce symptoms of trauma and improve overall well-being. Remember your self-care tools. I like fitness and baking to help with stress and manage my own trauma recovery. Everyone is unique in what makes them feel good, happy, energized, and inner peace, and self-control.

Another important aspect of trauma recovery is learning to be kind to yourself. Self-compassion is a big part of recovery. Trauma can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, and it’s important to remember that you are not to blame for what has happened. It’s important to be patient with yourself and to remember that healing takes time. Trauma recovery is a gradual process allowing us to learn and grow at our own emotional speed.

Learn to find fulfillment in life, in the new reality.

Another key aspect of trauma recovery is finding meaning and purpose in life again. This may include finding new hobbies and interests or volunteering in the community. Again self-care tools help us every day and especially in recovery. These tools and strategies can change over time and we can add new ones to our toolkit as we learn and grow. For those experiencing trauma, it can feel like they are helpless and have no control over events. It can also involve finding a sense of control and empowerment by advocating for yourself and others who have experienced trauma. Everyone is different and advocating for ourselves may be difficult, seek out positive support.

Lastly,  it’s important to remember that trauma recovery is an ongoing process and there is no one size fits all. It’s not a one-time event, and healing can take time. It’s important to be patient and compassionate with yourself and to remember that setbacks are a normal part of the process.

Trauma recovery is a personal journey that takes time and patience.

It’s important to recognize and acknowledge the feelings and emotions that come with trauma, seek out support, take care of your physical health, be kind to yourself, find meaning and purpose in life, and remember that healing takes time. Suicide is never an option, it’s a final act with no coming back. You deserve to live your best life and recover. With the right support and resources, individuals can move forward and rebuild their lives after experiencing a traumatic event.