Welcoming TheEffects Of Psychological Trauma
An unexpected event we perceive as negative such as an accident, a damaging earthquake, the death of a loved one, domestic violence or a terrorist attack, may be a trigger for psychological trauma. Just hearing about or witnessing such an event can be enough to traumatise. We usually associate trauma with its negative effects as in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). You may, then, be surprised to learn that this is only half of the story and there can be positive effects of trauma as well.
This is the place I was bitten by a dog. The opportunity to process its message inviting me to wholeness presented itself 30 years later.
Well Known Effects Of Psychological Trauma and Intervention
The reactions to a traumatic event are thought to be similar to grief. Initial shock might be associated with denying the event, living as if it did not happen or believing that it happened to somebody else. Traumas can shape our personality; the way we perceive events, our beliefs and our reactions. The effects may be dormant for years and reawaken with a life event to be reprocessed and reintegrated.
The reactions people manifest when they are exposed to a traumatic event are very personal. Here I will mention some of the common reactions. They may be:
- Anxious, may even experience panic attacks
- Angry to the point of being violent
- Very active or very lethargic
- Unable to concentrate
The effects of trauma should always be addressed as quickly as possible in order to prevent the development of a disorder. Getting the person to verbalise their experiences and normalising their early reactions would protect them from developing dysfunctional symptoms. PTSD is characterised by being haunted with flashbacks or nightmares of the traumatic event, this results in the sufferer avoiding anything capable of reminding them of the event. General loss of interest in life with increased irritability and lack of concentration are other common symptoms.
My Personal Experience
When I was a teenager I approached a dog who was tied in my cousin’s garden to pet him. It was a well groomed dog owned by neighbours. To my surprise the dog bit me on my leg. I had to have several injections and after 30 years I still carry the scar.
I remember telling myself that the reason I was attacked was because the dog was badly treated by its owners. Therefore I was able to continue trusting dogs. By approaching with a positive attitude I managed to befriend all dogs even when they came to me threateningly.
Now that I am living with my cousin the trauma seems activated in me. During one of my walks I noticed myself feeling threatened when street dogs barked at me. I was unable to approach these animals affectionately. Overtaken by fear I threatened the dogs and changed my way.
Could this be consciousness questioning my belief ‘If I am nice to dogs they will be nice to me.’ I feel this reawakening of the trauma is inviting me to accept the bad and good at equal terms in dogs, in myself and in others.
Positive Effects Of Psychological Trauma
For many years Viktor Frankl’s book ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’ was, after various religious books, the best selling work in the world. Frankl is an Austrian born Jewish psychiatrist. Imprisoned in the the same concentration camp as where is young wife died and his mother was gassed, he, nevertheless, found meaning in his experiences and used them to further develop a psychiatric technique called Logotherapy, of which he had laid down the foundations as a student.
I have connected with a sense of rebirth twice in my life. The first was when my father died suddenly. Sadness became my entrance to appreciating life and all its manifestations. The second time occurred when our car skidded on a mountain road and it stopped by itself without any of us us receiving as much as a scratch. Coming so close to death was traumatic, stimulating my fear centres, but it also, paradoxically, brought me into a heightened awareness as a living person.
Trauma As An Invitation For Wholeness
I doubt there is a single person who has not experienced trauma. What is important, though is how we process whatever ‘horror’ we have witnessed. By accepting what has occurred and our sense of automatic shock we can more objectively accept and integrate the life enhancing influence of trauma. If you are affected by tragedy and trauma then I invite you to be grateful you are blessed as a survivor because, only through doing so, can you move forward on your journey towards wholeness.
