Trauma Therapy Tools To Help In Times Of Stress

Trauma can be seen as a deep emotional response to a devastating event, like a crime, abuse, accident, war, natural disaster, or the death of a loved one. After a traumatic event, many people move forward without any long-lasting effects, but others face challenges like flashbacks, unpredictable emotions, and physical symptoms. 

If you are living with the effects of trauma, various strategies can help you manage symptoms during times of stress. For instance, you might try containment, body scan meditation, self-care, and leaning on your support system. Working with a therapist can also empower you to work through the effects of traumatic experiences.

Need help coping with the effects of trauma?

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How do people react to trauma?

People may react to trauma in different ways. Most people who experience trauma have immediate reactions that resolve without any long-term consequences, but others may experience significant long-term impairment, including meeting the criteria for a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety. Below are several potential responses to trauma.

Emotional reactions

Stress from traumatic events tends to result in two extremes: feeling too much or feeling too little. Some people may have emotional reactions like anger, sadness, fear, and shame. Meanwhile, others may experience numbness or a lack of emotions. 

Physical reactions

People who experience trauma can also experience physical symptoms. In some cases, these symptoms may drive them to seek help. Some of the physical symptoms of stress from trauma can include the following: 

• Hyperarousal: Hyperarousal can be thought of as the body’s way of staying prepared. It can lead to sleep disturbances, increased startle responses, and muscle tension. Hyperarousal is one of the primary diagnostic criteria for PTSD and can last for years after trauma if left untreated. Hyperarousal can affect a person’s ability to assess and respond to various stimuli and may lead them to perceive non-threatening situations as dangerous. 
• Sleep disturbances: Sleep disturbances can be considered a part of hyperarousal. They may come in the form of restless sleep, early awakening, difficulty falling asleep, and nightmares. Sleep disturbances can persist long after other traumatic stress symptoms have resolved.
• Somatization: Somatization can occur when psychological stress affects the autonomic nervous system and is experienced as physical pain or dysfunction. For example, someone who is experiencing the psychological effects of trauma may experience chest pain, headaches, nausea, back pain, or fatigue. Many people who experience somatization may be unaware that there is a connection between their emotions and their physical symptoms, or they may focus on their physical symptoms to avoid coping with the trauma they’ve experienced.

Cognitive changes

Trauma can also affect how a person thinks and processes the world around them. Here are some cognitive changes that may result from trauma:

• Cognitive errors: Misinterpreting a situation as dangerous because it slightly resembles a previous trauma
• Experiencing inappropriate guilt: Making sense of or gaining control over a traumatic experience by taking responsibility for what happened
• Hallucinations or delusions: Hallucinations and delusions may arise that are related to the traumatizing event; for example, someone who was abused may believe that their abuser is driving behind them because they have the same color car
• Idealization: Rationalizing or justifying the behavior of perpetrators who caused the trauma, particularly if those individuals were caregivers or relatives
• Intrusive thoughts: Thoughts and memories of the event that appear suddenly and without warning, especially when encountering triggers 
• Sensing one is different from other people: Traumatic experiences can seem surreal, and trauma survivors may not believe that others can truly understand what they have gone through; some types of trauma can lead survivors to believe they are damaged, potentially contributing to isolation

Tools for managing traumatic stress

If you are experiencing symptoms of trauma, research suggests that there are some effective ways to cope with them.

Learn about trauma and PTSD

If you have been through trauma, it can help to learn more about common reactions. When you learn more about the symptoms of PTSD and other responses to trauma, it may help you realize that you are not alone, and that other people have experienced symptoms similar to yours. When you understand that the symptoms you’re experiencing may constitute a trauma response, you may be empowered to better manage them. 

Rely on your support system

Identify family members and friends upon which you can rely for support. If you are ready to talk about your experiences, you might open up and tell them about what happened and how you feel. If not, it may be helpful to admit that you’re having a difficult time without going into details and ask for help with household tasks or errands to relieve some of your daily stress. 

Make self-care a priority

Self-care can maintain health and support treatment and recovery. Even small acts of self-care can significantly impact one's life. Some self-care techniques include getting 30 minutes of exercise each day, eating nutritious meals, staying hydrated, prioritizing sleep, and practicing gratitude. Other healthy coping skills can include meditation, music, art, and spending time in nature.

Do a body scan

A body scan is a form of meditation in which you typically pay attention to each part of your body and bodily sensations, working systematically from head to toe. This form of meditation can help you identify any physical discomfort you might be experiencing that you may not realize is related to stress, like headaches, tension, or shoulder pain. 

Try coping ahead

Coping ahead is a skill you can use when you’re worried about how you might respond to a specific future situation. Start by slowly imagining the scenario, including the problems you may encounter and any emotions or fears you might face. Then, determine which skill or action you may need to employ to get through the situation. 

For example, if you are traveling to a place that you associate with a traumatic experience, you can plan to call a friend, recite a mantra, or practice calming breathing techniques to help you manage any overwhelming emotions that arise. Rehearsing ahead of time can help you respond more effectively when you sense your stress levels rising.

Grounding exercises

Grounding exercises can help you cope with overwhelming or distressing feelings by focusing on the present moment. A common grounding technique is to look around you and name five colors you can see, four things you can touch, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. 

Use containment

Containment can be thought of as an exercise where you imagine a container, like a box, trunk, or safe, where you can mentally place upsetting thoughts and emotions until you are ready to cope with them. Practice by imagining you are literally placing small bits of distressing information, feelings, or worries into the container. Note that this exercise is not about ignoring or denying thoughts and feelings. Instead, it can be a way to allow the brain to set aside things that may be upsetting until you are in a place where you can effectively address them. 

Getting help

Need help coping with the effects of trauma?

Receive guidance from a licensed therapist

Multiple approaches to therapy can help with trauma, including somatic experiencing, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), emotionally focused therapy (EFT), and solution-focused therapy (SFT).

If you need help, consider reaching out to a therapist in your local area or online. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you can meet with a qualified, licensed mental health professional from the comfort of your home and schedule therapy sessions at a time that works for you. There are more than 30,000 mental health professionals on the platform, and you can change therapists at any time until you find the right fit. 

Research has found that online therapy can be effective in treating the effects of trauma. According to a 2022 study, online cognitive behavioral therapy with a focus on trauma should be seen as a first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).