Effective ways to deal with trauma and emotional stress after an assault

Trauma and emotional stress can be quite devastating and could affect the person for quite some time. The traumatic event can leave you with troubled thoughts, haunting memories and feelings of anxiety that will not go away easily. An assault could leave anyone paralyzed, detached with all our walls up and not be able to move forward.

Bad things happen and they can happen to anyone which is why it can be quite a while before we begin to feel secure about ourselves once more. Through self-care and support from our loved ones, it could alleviate the pain and aid in the recovery. The trauma and emotional stress may have happened years ago or just recently but we all heal at our own pace. Sooner or later, we’ll be able to pick up ourselves and slowly move forward with our lives.

Getting to learn more about trauma and assault

Trauma can be defined as an emotional response to a disastrous event such as a car accident, natural calamities or even rape. Moments after the event, confusion and rejection are common. There can be other effects that would entail flashbacks or episodes, isolation from other people, erratic attitude and some physical manifestation of pain and vomiting. This is normal and people may struggle to move forward and accept what’s transpired in their lives. It is best to consult and seek professional help from psychologists to search for and discover useful ways of handling emotions.

On the other hand, assault is considered hazardous damage accompanied by a probable, current capacity to continue the damage. Both are considered a crime and a tort.

How to deal with trauma and emotional stress

Dealing and coping with stress and trauma can be quite challenging. First, it includes a leap of faith to accept what you have encountered, what transpired, and what you can potentially do about it.

Here are some ways on how to effectively deal with it.

Take your time

Accepting what happened may take a considerable amount of time knowing that every person has a different way of healing. You may take a break from work or school and may even feel the need to learn how to live once more.

Grieve, if you must

Every person should be able to pour their thoughts and emotions out before doing anything else. It may be in any form, such as crying or screaming or even writing down poems that would truly express your most honest thoughts.

Reconnect and engage with fellow survivors

In this age, social networking sites may be used to connect and engage after what has transpired. From bonding with others who have gone through the same thing to talking and reaching out to them and eventually spending time together. This helps you cope and muster the courage to face those inner monsters that hinder you from moving forward.

Reach out to your friends and family for support

Talking to people who truly understand you can be helpful in someone’s journey to recovery. From comforting you to just hugging you when you look down, your friends and family are a valuable asset on your road to recovery.

Give yourself some time

It’s okay to be alone much more, and it is fine to spend time by yourself. Others may think that it’s a sad thing to do but it’s also one of the things that strong people do. Spending time with yourself allows you to get acquainted with yourself in a deeper sense.

Powering through

This phrase may be difficult at first but, put simply, it’s sometimes helpful to put mind over matter. Sooner or later our bodies will cope little by little allowing us to act like we usually do. Sharing the whole experience with others could bring up some tears; those tears are actually helpful in the journey of coping and finding peace in yourself.

Do normal activities with your friends

Going out with friends is a good thing as it can recharge your morale. You don’t necessarily have to feet comfortable in sharing what transpired, it’s normal to feel that way, but it may just be helpful to rebuild social connections as a part of the process.

Seek professional help

When the other methods have not helped you cope and move forward, it’s time to seek help from a licensed physician that would be able to prescribe medicines and therapies that would be able to help.

Facing trauma and emotional stress following an assault can take a toll on a person. Through proper self-care and therapy, all the hideous memories will transform into allowing you to become a stronger person that will inspire even more people.

Continue moving forward at your own pace and it will be all okay.