The Overlooked Issue of Trauma
Everyone experiences a range of different events in their life. Events that are positive contribute to our sense of well-being and self-confidence, but events that are traumatic and create an initial negative response can sometimes contribute to future issues and related behaviours.
Traumatic events are not always the same. What one child or adult experiences as a traumatic event may have no or limited negative impact on another. For some, it is the repeated exposure to violence, abuse or stressful events that creates the trauma, while for others it may be a single event.
The most important factor to be aware of is the long-term impact of trauma; there can be a range of different types of behaviours and emotional changes that occur months, years or even decades after the initial event.
Some of the more common signs of trauma include:
- Feelings of sadness, anger, or fear that are pervasive and not attributable to any current event or activity
- Feelings of shame or denial
- Emotional outburst
- Difficulty in sleeping and nightmares
- Daytime "flashbacks" where the event or some aspect of the event is relived
- Problems in developing and maintaining relationships
- Issues with concentration, decision making, and memory
- Headaches and digestive problems.
With such a diverse group of symptoms, and with the potential delay in their onset, many people do not realise they are experiencing trauma.
Treatment Options
There are some medications prescribed to treat the signs of trauma. However, they do no address the underlying thoughts and issues that are driving the emotional, psychological, and physiological symptoms.
For many clients, an integrated approach to treatment is most effective. This allows the therapist to use a variety of methods and customise their plan to the client. While there are specialised types of treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), most people experiencing the symptoms of trauma can be treated using talking therapy. Talking therapy or psychotherapy can include many different options, but CBT or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is especially effective for many clients, focussing on changing thought patterns as a way to subsequently change behaviour.
It is often important to go back and revisit trauma, to look at it as an adult or as a person in a safe, confidential, therapeutic environment. By processing that trauma with a therapist, the underlying issues of an event can be put into perspective and made manageable.
Online treatment using CBT or other types of talking therapy are offered through Mayfair Online Therapy. They allows the client to remain in their home and speak directly and confidentially with a therapist. Many of our clients who are anxious about travelling find this a comfortable and beneficial option. It is also a popular approach with business professionals, who can use an office or private room at their place of work or home, eliminating the need for travel.
Mayfair Online Therapy have over 20 years of experience in the field of psychotherapy, covering the treatment of a wide range of issues. We are based in Mayfair in central London, but can work with clients from across the UK and Internationally.
If you are interested in finding out more, or to discuss any questions you may have about online treatment options, call us on +44 7809 668193 or +44 7557 362207 at any time.
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