The brain has the remarkable ability to protect and preserve a person. Woven into mankind is the desire to survive, which allows us to make cognitive decisions in times of duress. But there are times, particularly when a person has suffered a traumatic event or series of events, when the brain’s self-preservation can lead to unhealthy patterns. This is still a mode of survival, but it is one that needs to be addressed to allow a person to live full and whole.

Trauma can be simply defined as a stressful, frightening, or distressing event that is difficult to cope with and outside of one’s control. Trauma can happen at any age, and it ranges from severe, life-altering life events to smaller, emotionally damaging everyday moments. When an individual has suffered a traumatic experience or series of events from which they cannot seem to recover, trauma informed care through a licensed trauma therapist is extremely beneficial.

Is past trauma affecting me?

The signs and symptoms of trauma can, and often do, linger for many years. Coping mechanisms may have developed over time to allow a person to function, but signs of past trauma should not be ignored. Past trauma can result in long term physical and psychological effects. At Christian Counseling of Tampa, we offer support for trauma survivors through our licensed trauma therapists. 

What is PTSD?

Severe and significant past trauma can result in PTSD, or Post Traumatic Distress Syndrome. PTSD is a psychiatric disorder that may occur in a person who has experienced or witnessed a terrifying event, series of events or set of circumstances. Symptoms of PTSD can include flashbacks, outbursts, insomnia, emotional outbursts, nightmares, and severe anxiety.

Symptoms of PTSD sometimes show up shortly after an event occurs, or they can lie dormant and appear many years later. PTSD symptoms can be grouped into four different categories: intrusive memories, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

Signs and symptoms of someone suffering PTSD may include:

• Intrusive thoughts

• Distorted beliefs about yourself or others

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Social withdrawal

• Self-harm

• Insomnia

• Flashbacks

• Insecurity

• Inability to trust others.

• Feelings of detachment

• Substance abuse as a coping mechanism

The Long-Term Effects of Untreated Trauma

Not everyone who has experienced past trauma will suffer from PTSD. There are, however, other long term physical effects that may crop up due to untreated trauma. These include:

• Obesity

• Chronic health issues

• Increased inflammation in the body

• Stress disorders.

• Heart attacks

• Cancer

• Diabetes

• Suicidal thoughts/tendencies

Signs and symptoms of intrusive thoughts, sometimes associated with PTSD, can be unwanted distressing memories of the event that occur repeatedly, flashbacks (reliving the event as if it were happening again), disrupted sleep due to nightmares, severe emotional reactions in situations that remind you of the event.

How Trauma Therapy Can Help

Signs and symptoms of avoidance include not wanting to talk about the event, or avoiding people or situations that remind you of the trauma. Signs and symptoms of negative changes in thinking and mood include detachment from family and friends, an emotional numbness that lingers, avoiding activities that you once enjoyed, recurring feelings of fear, shame, or anger, and negative emotions about yourself or the people around you. Signs and symptoms of physical and emotional reactions may include a constant feeling of being on edge, irritability, trouble sleeping, and inability to settle or relax, being easily startled or frightened.

PTSD symptoms can intensify and lessen over time depending on your circumstances and level of stress. It’s important to address the issues when you find that they are occurring more frequently, they are disrupting your daily life or sleep, or they are causing emotional rifts between you and the people you love. There are several tools that those who suffer from PTSD can utilize to help them manage the trauma that caused the emotional stress in the first place. Seeking help from a trained and licensed trauma therapist allows you to face your trauma in a safe space and begin the process of healing.

Take the first Step Toward Healing in Tampa, FL

At Christian Counseling of South Tampa, our trained therapists utilize techniques that are empirically supported for the specific issues present such as, but not limited to: 

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

• Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)

• Marriage Therapy

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

If you think that you or someone you know is suffering from PTSD as a result of past trauma, contact us today so we can connect you with a trained therapist who can provide a safe space to face your past, as well as tools to help heal the emotional scars affecting you. Through this guided help, you can find healing and stability for the present. 

Read more on trauma here:

Finding Balance: The Importance of Self-Care in Trauma Recovery

Supporting a Loved One Through Trauma: How to Help Without Overstepping