There is no doubt that we are all dealing with varying degrees of stress– and all of this can lead to trauma building. Throughout the course of our life, we are all exposed to various stressful incidents and traumatic events that leave a permanent negative impact on us. However, for some people, the impact of those events reduces over time; but for others, it can become worse as well.
According to American Psychological Association, trauma is an emotional response to a certain stressful event. Different stages of trauma can lead to various problems in a person’s life – because it can affect your physical and mental health, your relationships, and your overall outlook on life. And this is why Jonah Engler says, instead of trying to live with your trauma, it is essential to try and cope with it – to be able to lead a better life ahead.
If you are also someone who is finding it hard to get over the traumas of your life and don’t know how to deal with it – don’t worry; we got you. Jonah Engler decided to use this article to share three tips that can help people cope with trauma.
Tips to Cope with Trauma
1. Accept Your Trauma
You might know this already, but there are 5 stages of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. As you can see, the last stage is acceptance, but many do not reach this stage – sometimes throughout their lifetime. They end up spending their entire life with the burden of that trauma – and even after years; many find it hard to cope with it.
Hence, Jonah Engler recommends it is best first to acknowledge the trauma you have faced and accept the consequences that came with it. Only then will you be able to face your feelings and get over the pain you are feeling. If you stay stuck in the stage of denial or depression, you will only waste your time and dwell in the pain of your trauma.
1. Look for Support
Most people find it hard to share their pain and trauma with other people – and that is quite fair. However, there is a thin line between not sharing and burdening yourself with unbearable pain because you are unwilling to seek help. Not leaning on people who can support you and help you put off your trauma is your own disadvantage.
Jonah Engler says, don’t become your enemy. Identify genuine people around yourself; chances are your friends or family are already there, standing right beside you. It is time for you to embrace their support to move forward in life – there is no harm in seeking a shoulder to cry on if you know you will only get back up stronger.
1. Engage in Self Care
Lastly, prioritize yourself. Always remember, you are all you have for yourself. Sure, you have your family, friends, and people there to support you. But eventually, if you are not going to help yourself, no one can, and no one will. Before you depend on others and wait for your trauma to end – you need to work on yourself. Ignore the whole world if you need to; just focus on your life, your goals and most importantly, engage in self-care.
Takeaway
Dealing with trauma can be very tough, and not everyone has the same degree of trauma, life situation, or ability to endure. Therefore, Jonah Engler decided to share the easiest approach to coping with trauma that can help almost everyone.