Trauma can rob you of your youth like a “thief in the night”. When you least expect it, you look in the mirror and see someone you do not recognize. You could live healthier without repressed trauma. So what happened?
For many of us, I would say that 85 percent of people will or have suffered a traumatic event in their lifetime. Some of these events will create significant pain and suffering especially if there is a near-miss of life loss.
Because trauma changes so many body cells, it causes hormonal changes, nerve damage, weakens the immune system, causes premature aging, and can lead to an early grave.
Take twenty years off of your age and add another twenty years to your life (that’s 40 years) just by doing this one thing:
Dealing with Your Repressed Trauma
Fortunately, your neuron cells can be re-wired and affect your mind, your way of feeling safe in this world, your way of thinking, and solving problems. I could go on and on about the ways trauma damages and changes your life.
Unresolved trauma can affect the choices you make. What kind of boyfriend or girlfriend do you pick? Neglecting your children, losing your job, make you feel extremely angry, or very violent, and if you are aware of that,
“Wait that’s not me!
What is going on with me?”
Not all of us are aware of what we are doing.
I too, have suffered from trauma throughout my life and made bad decisions, and even made bad choices unconsciously without realizing it. Until I verified my actions with a witness I trusted. I couldn’t believe that person was me.
Posttraumatic growth can be transformative and lead to living a longer more healthy and happy life.
Many people I have interviewed for my book “Trauma-ties,” told me that despite their physical pain and the daily struggles they have faced, some have said that their lives are actually better today than before their traumatic experiences. They make themselves focus more on themselves, what surrounds them, they pay more attention to people who aren’t doing well. They feel like they want to help them. Which before they didn’t want to get involved.
To move from the process of trauma growth, we should first educate ourselves and learn about trauma effects. The American Psychological Association provided a definition of “trauma” they said,
An emotional response of someone against a special negative instance such as injury by accident, violent attacks bullying, domestic violence, childhood neglect, and many negative actions that leave a mark on your emotional status, and mental stability.
Some symptoms of trauma are Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, guilt, anxiety, hypervigilance, fear, irritability, behavioral issues, flashbacks, excessive anger, violence, panic attacks, loneliness, depression, all these can lead one open towards traumatic diseases and suicidal ideation.
Repressed trauma will find its way out. It will express itself in diseases such as diabetes, gastrointestinal diseases, cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, or cancer, or in severe psychological disorders requiring mental health services.
This is serious business.
If you are ignoring or pushing down your trauma from the past you are sick and tired and your life is a mess.
There are too many diseases to name them all because we have not dealt with the unresolved traumatic event. We will have to deal with what happened to us. Or make amends to it. Make yourself ok with it.
If you can not heal from it get some professional help. Find a support group, I know you will prefer to stay at home and feel safe, depressed, and you will feel alone.
Shake the dust off you, that you have collected and get over yourself. Get your butt to a support group, I guarantee, you will later, be glad you did. And your life expectancy will increase dramatically. Many blessings and joyful health to you.