How to Prevent Trauma From Becoming PTSD
CredibleMind Ambassador Blog by Rev. Chelsea MacMillan | View Original Blog
As we move into July, it feels important to acknowledge that June was PTSD Awareness Month. This year, our world has been rocked by pandemic, economic instability, and here in the US, police brutality and subsequent uprisings. With all of this intense turmoil, the word trauma is taking on a new meaning, with many experts predicting that the “second wave” of COVID-19 will be the mental health crisis caused by skyrocketing unemployment, ongoing social isolation, and an uncertain future.
Personally, this time has felt pretty tough, but I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I live in a house with two wonderful people, I live close to a big park, I’m healthy and safe and don’t know anyone who’s died from the pandemic. It hadn’t really crossed my mind that I could be experiencing trauma during this time.
But, recently, after crying to my best friend about how lonely I’ve been, she sent me this video about how to cope with isolation, and another about how to prevent PTSD in the pandemic. Listening to this sweet-voiced neurobiology expert talk about how difficult it is for people to not have the usual systems of support in our lives, and how that affects the brain as trauma, I felt a huge sense of relief. It was okay that I was feeling this way.
The truth is, I have been having a hard time feeling so isolated from my community. Zoom feels exhausting, I’ve barely been hugged. And the irony is, when I feel lonely, I tend to isolate myself even more. I start to think “maybe my friends don’t actually like me” and “I’ve been abandoned before so obviously I’m being abandoned again.” These thoughts are not based in truth, of course. But, that’s exactly what trauma does to the brain: it creates a traffic jam of emotion that obscures reality.
It’s totally normal to be feeling sad or lonely or anxious right now. So, if you’re feeling this way, know that you aren’t alone. But, one thing that makes this trauma so significant is that most of us don’t know how to integrate the magnitude of the situation and the ways in which our way of life are probably irrevocably changed. There’s no end in sight for this trauma and that’s exactly when PTSD occurs: when the brain gets “hooked” on painful moments and keeps replaying them.
Even though we’re currently in the middle of multiple traumatic events right now, there may be ways to prevent the mental and emotional effects from becoming an ongoing psychological issue. Creating positive habits now — when it feels most challenging — is very important for your continued wellbeing long after COVID-19 has subsided. Here are a few tips and resources to help you:
1. Feel your feelings. It’s completely natural to use any number of coping mechanisms to help yourself feel less bad. But eventually, those feelings need to be acknowledged so that you can integrate them and prevent negative effects in the future.
- WATCH: Self-Resonance in a Pandemic — How to Self-Care to Prevent PTSD
- WATCH: Self-Resonance in a Pandemic — How to Greet Shame of Being Alone
2. Reach out to your friends and loved ones. We need connection more than ever right now. Call a friend and schedule a walk, or take time to deepen the relationships you have with the people you live with.
- WATCH: Listening As An Act of Love
3. Connect with your body. Exercising helps release endorphins, which are hormones critical to lifting the mood. And touch — even if it’s just self-massage — can be very healing.
Just remember: whether you’ve been stuck inside navigating work, school, and parenting, or are a frontline worker, pretty much everyone on the planet has been significantly impacted by the events of the past few months. So, know that you are not alone!
