Hello, my name is David and this is my new blog. I have been married for 25 years. My wife and I married when we were 18 years old so we had a lot of learning to do as we got older. Like any relationship, our marriage has had its ups and downs. However, last year, we had a real tough patch and I thought we might end up divorcing one another. Thankfully, this did not happen. The thing that saved our relationship was a recommendation by a friend that we sign up for counselling. The therapist helped my wife and I to truely understand the dynamics of our marriage and we have been much happier ever since.
Trauma can negatively impact your life if not treated appropriately. If you find yourself denying trauma as an issue in your life, this article is designed as a guide to show you why this might be happening so that you can get the help you need.
What is trauma denial?
In its simplest definition, trauma denial means denying or minimising symptoms of past traumatic experiences. Trauma denial is a coping strategy that can help you survive the immediate impact of a traumatic event. However, if the trauma remains unresolved it could lead to psychological issues such as Post-Traumatic-Stress Disorder (PTSD). It is important to remember that symptoms of PTSD may not always involve intrusive thoughts, flashbacks or panic — even simple symptoms like social withdrawal or loss of interest in normal activities can indicate unresolved psychological symptoms associated with past trauma. A lack of closure can leave you feeling stuck in limbo since you will never be able to move on from what happened or enjoy life the way you used to before the incident occurred.
How can I address trauma denial?
If you are in this situation, it is important to remember that you can get help, but first, you need to accept that past events can impact your life. If someone close to you asks if something traumatic ever happened in your childhood or adult life, don't be afraid of saying yes and talking about what happened. This is the first step towards feeling better again.
The next stage is seeking counselling which will involve dealing with what happened so that it doesn't become a major blockage preventing your life from moving forward. A psychologist who specialises in PTSD will help get the trauma out into the open so it won't intrude on your thoughts any longer. This process may sound frightening, but it's very safe. The psychologist will provide you with a safe and confidential space in which you can be supported to express and process your trauma. Throughout several sessions, the psychologist will work with you to explore the traumatic event you experienced, its impact on you and the feelings and memories it created. You will also have the opportunity to reflect and explore the impact the trauma had on the rest of your life. By giving voice to problems that have been buried for years, you can get rid of your psychological baggage and move on with your life.
If you would like to find out more, contact a psychologist or counselling service today.
Share1 December 2021
