No one is ever prepared for a traumatic experience. Even those who live in fear of something bad happening aren't necessarily ready when it does.
When people do experience a distressing or life-threatening event, such as a car accident, natural disaster, or terrorist attack, they often develop extreme anxiety or PTSD. Many develop ongoing problems with their personal relationships and their own self-esteem.
Everyone deals with trauma in their own way. There is no “right” or “wrong” way to respond to a tragic or terrifying event. Don’t let anyone, not even yourself, tell you that you should respond in a certain way.
Having said that, there are steps you can take to begin to heal and regain control of your life.
Healing after trauma is a deeply personal process, and it often requires patience, self-compassion, and support. Here are some steps to consider as you begin your healing journey:
Acknowledge the Trauma: Recognize that your experience has impacted you and that it’s okay to seek help.
Seek Professional Support: A therapist, especially one trained in trauma-informed care, can provide guidance tailored to your needs.
Connect with Others: Sharing your experiences with trusted friends or support groups can provide comfort and reduce feelings of isolation.
Practice Self-Care: Engage in activities that promote well-being, such as eating balanced meals, maintaining a regular sleep routine, and finding healthy outlets for self-expression.
Physical Movement: Gentle exercises like yoga, stretching, or walking can help release tension and improve mood4.
Mindfulness and Relaxation: Techniques such as meditation, deep breathing, or progressive muscle relaxation can help calm the mind and body.
Creative Expression: Art, writing, or music can be therapeutic outlets for processing emotions and experiences.
Educate Yourself: Learning about trauma and its effects can empower you to understand your reactions and how to cope with them.
Set Boundaries: Protect your energy by setting limits with others and saying no to things that don’t serve your healing.
Celebrate Small Victories: Healing is not linear, so acknowledge and celebrate the progress you make, no matter how small.
Remember, healing from trauma is not a race, and it’s important to move at a pace that feels right for you. It’s also normal to have setbacks along the way. Be gentle with yourself and recognize that each step forward is a part of your path to recovery. If you’re in need of immediate support, consider reaching out to a mental health professional or a helpline for assistance.
Until then do the work below.
Accept Your Feelings
Ignoring your feelings of fear, shock, rage, terror, confusion, or guilt will only slow your recovery. At the moment, you may feel you must avoid your emotions. But, whether you accept or push them away, your feelings are real, and feeling them is necessary for healing. The good news is, even intense feelings will pass if you simply allow yourself to feel them.
Reclaim Control Over Your Life
After experiencing a traumatic event, it is common to feel helpless and out of control. To fully recover from the event, it is important that you eventually reframe your identity and challenge your feelings of helplessness. You can do this by taking action. Being proactive – even in small ways – will help you overcome feelings of fear and helplessness.
Consider volunteering for a cause that’s important to you. If that is too much of a time commitment, you could simply focus on helping a friend or neighbor. This will help you feel more powerful and in control of your environment.
Reach Out for Support
It is common for people to want to withdraw from loved ones and social activities following a tragic event. However, connecting with others is necessary for recovery. Though you may not feel up to taking part in huge gatherings like you once did a simple face-to-face conversation with a close friend or relative can trigger hormones that relieve stress.
You needn’t talk about the event with your loved ones, just simply spending time with them will help you feel more “normal.” Of course, if you feel like you need to talk about your feelings, reach out to those you know who love and support you. You may also want to look into support groups in your local area so you can be around others who know what you are going through.
Break The Sugar Habit
Breaking a sugar habit can be challenging, but it’s definitely possible with some strategic changes to your diet and lifestyle. Here are some tips based on the information I found:
Understand Your Sugar Intake: Recognize the amount of sugar you consume and identify the sources. Remember, it’s not just about the sugar you add to your food; it’s also hidden in many processed foods.
Eat Regularly: Don’t skip meals. Eating at regular intervals helps maintain blood sugar levels and reduces sugar cravings.
Choose Whole Foods: Opt for whole, unprocessed foods that are naturally low in sugar. This includes fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains.
Read Labels: Become a savvy shopper by reading food labels to spot hidden sugars. Look for terms like corn syrup, fructose, and sucrose.
Exercise: Physical activity can help reduce stress hormones that trigger sugar cravings. It also helps balance ghrelin levels, which can influence hunger.
Manage Stress: Since stress can lead to sugar cravings, find healthy ways to manage it, such as meditation, yoga, or deep breathing exercises.
Get Enough Sleep: Lack of sleep can increase cravings for sugary foods, so aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.
Start Small: If going cold turkey seems too daunting, start by cutting back gradually. Reduce the amount of sugar you add to your coffee or opt for lower-sugar versions of your favorite snacks.
Seek Support: Talk to a healthcare provider or a dietitian if you feel like your sugar cravings are out of control. They can provide personalized advice and support.
Remember, it’s about making sustainable changes that work for you. Reducing sugar intake can lead to numerous health benefits, including improved digestion, reduced anxiety and stress, less fatigue, eased joint pain, and fewer headaches.
Consider Trauma Therapy And finally, you may want to consider seeking guidance from a professional therapist who is trained in helping people who have experienced a traumatic event. They can help you navigate your emotions as well as give you tools to get back on your feet. If you have experienced a traumatic event and feel you could use some guidance on your journey back toward peace and joy, please get in touch with our client care team. We'll help you find a therapist who will be a good fit. You don’t have to suffer from your burden alone. You deserve to feel like yourself again. Trauma therapy can help free you from the past.
When you’re ready to start your healing journey, we’re here to help!
To start your journey consider our journal prompt guide.
Help Developing A Plan For Self-Care
Do you want help developing a self-care plan that works for your busy schedule? Do you want accountability in implementing a self-care plan? If you or someone you love is struggling to maintain optimal mental and emotional health, consider reaching out to Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. We are a Metro Atlanta, Conyers Georgia area. We are a coaching and counseling practice with empathetic, skilled counselors and recovery coaches who can help you set goals, develop a self-care routine, and move forward to build a more fulfilling life. Our team would be happy to work with you either just for a couple of sessions to develop and implement a Self-care plan or longer term to work toward overall better mental health within our membership site or other programs.
About The Author:
Dr. Nikki LeToya White MSEd-TL, Ph.D. RHN is the founder, director, and full-time board-certified trauma-informed nutritionist, folk herbalist, and wellness consultant at Spiced Life Conversation Art Wellness Studio and Botanica. She created Spiced Life Conversation, LLC
Art Wellness Studio and Botanica provide the Metro Atlanta area with counseling and coaching services where clients are carefully matched with the right program for healing abandonment and childhood emotional neglect trauma that cause codependency, emotional eating, financial stress, and imposter syndrome as it relates to fear of success and being abandon. We help you begin your emotional healing journey with ease. Recently, we have expanded to include an online membership site so we now provide support to people living all over the world. All of our recovery coaches provide at least one evidence-based treatment to assist in your recovery. Dr. White is a big proponent of self-care and helping people live a fulfilling life! She has been in full remission with both codependency and emotional binge eating disorder since 2016. In living a life in recovery from sugar addiction. Loving her low-sugar balance lifestyle.
Best Regards
Dr. Nikki LeToya White
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