Going through a traumatic event, such as abuse, an accident, loss, or violence, can completely turn your life upside down. It’s an experience that no one actually wants to go through, but it’s often unavoidable. Any type of trauma can be difficult to overcome, especially on your own.
The effects of trauma have a tendency to stick around. No matter how much you don’t want to deal with the emotions, thoughts, or memories, trauma can leave long-lasting emotional scars. Help is out there, through support groups and different therapy options, but it can be hard to reach out for support. Let’s learn more about why it can be difficult to seek help after trauma.
Avoidance
After a traumatic event occurs, it can be extremely common for people to try to avoid, ignore, or dismiss any memories or feelings related to the trauma. They may even go as far as avoiding certain people, places, or situations that remind them of the traumatic event. This emotional avoidance is a defence mechanism that intends to protect us from any harm or pain.
Emotional Numbness
A traumatic event can also cause a person to feel emotionally numb. Depending on a person and the trauma they endured, they may shut down completely. As a result, they may not even realize how much the trauma or the aftermath of it is actually affecting them.
Fear
Fear is a natural emotion after experiencing a traumatic event. But most of the time, the fear isn’t solely based on the trauma itself. You may have a fear of not being believed, being judged, or having to relive memories by talking about the painful events again. The fear after a trauma can be one of the main reasons that a person chooses to just keep quiet instead of seeking help.
Shame
If you went through a traumatic event, there’s a good chance that you feel a lot of negative emotions about what happened and about yourself. You may be struggling with feelings of guilt, shame, or embarrassment. While these are normal emotions, it’s important to know that the trauma isn’t your fault. There is nothing that you could’ve or should’ve done differently.
Lack of Trust
Trauma usually creates a lack of trust, especially in traumatic events where a loved one is involved. Even though the sole purpose of trauma therapy is to provide help and support, someone who has suffered trauma might find it difficult to open up to a therapist.
A lack of trust can also stem from a bad past experience trying to reach out for help. If they have already tried to get help before but were left feeling dismissed, judged, or misunderstood, it’s unlikely they’ll want to try again.
Stigma
Unfortunately, the world still has a long way to go to be more accepting of mental health. In many communities, reaching out for help can be seen as a sign of weakness, especially for men. People are taught to tough it out instead of being vulnerable and addressing their past trauma. In some cultures, mental health is not considered to be a real thing, which can leave victims of trauma completely unsupported and isolated from their own community and family.
You Deserve Support
Even if you want to get help, it’s not always easy to do so. Additional support can be hard to find. It might not be available in your area, or it might seem too expensive. You may also be dealing with a lack of therapists, issues with insurance, or waitlists.
Asking for help after experiencing trauma can be one of the hardest but strongest things you do. Healing won’t happen overnight, but it can and will happen. You don’t have to go through this alone. When you’re ready, we’re here for you and will get you set up with an initial consultation for trauma treatment.
