The Truth About Trauma

Trauma is a hot topic in the world of mental health.

Trauma, not unlike most mental health issues, can have some pretty severe stigmas attached to it, and from our observations here at Grace Abounds, it also seems that the general understanding of trauma is widely misunderstood.

We’d like to clear up some of that misunderstanding.

It has become apparent, through experience with clients and their families, that the vast majority of people believe trauma to stem from a single, extreme, or sudden life-altering event.

Which is absolutely possible.

But…that puts a severe and untrue limit to trauma.

As defined by our therapist, through his careful research and experience in practice, trauma is:

“Too much for too long, too much too soon, or too little for too long.”

When you think about this definition, there are, quite literally, unlimited scenarios that can cause trauma in addition to those sudden, life-altering events that are more typically associated with trauma.

Take into account, also, the different personality traits and genetic dispositions of each individual, and it becomes very clear, also, that what might not be traumatic for one person, can be quite “life-altering” for another.

This is why it is so important to stop the stigma associated with all mental health issues.

This is why, here at Grace Abounds, we believe there is is hope.

Hope for the one who has experienced a sudden and major tragedy.

Hope for the one who has experienced a slow and painful decline in life circumstances.

Hope, even for the one who struggles with no clear evidence as to what could have caused their anxiety, depression, and/or confused state of mind.

The human mind has an incredible capacity to survive; and therefore can bury trauma in the deepest recesses of one’s memory, making it terribly difficult to understand our fears, our actions, and our emotional responses.

Often, trauma does not stand out to us as a cause for our struggles, because at the time, it was so subtle we didn’t recognize it as trauma.

Or maybe surrounding voices seep in, pushing the viewpoint of what is and isn’t traumatic; therefore causing an endless cycle of fight and flight. Struggles and failures.

Beating oneself up for an inability to deal with the hand life has dealt can only go so far.

However, understanding past trauma and triggers that one may be unknowingly surrounded with is often the first step in healing.

Though not all mental health issues stem from trauma, many do.

Our therapist has compassion for, and understands the often crippling, and terrifying prospect of facing past traumas.

But he believes strongly that there is hope, healing, and restoration for those willing to take the first step.

Why live in a broken and hurtful cycle when you can heal.

One foot in front of the other is all it takes.

Whether the trauma is obvious or more subtle…one thing is certain.

It is real.

Don’t neglect red flags about your mental health and let society tell you what is traumatic and what isn’t.

Trauma doesn’t discriminate but it can be overcome.