What Should You Do If Current Events Bring Up Past Trauma?

Trauma is when we experience extreme emotional distress because of an event. People experience trauma and recover from it in different ways—it’s an experience unique to each individual. While coping with trauma can be a challenge, there are coping mechanisms you can use when you become triggered. 

There is no right or wrong way to feel while you’re processing a traumatic event. When these traumatic events come to mind or you experience symptoms of PTSD, you’ve been triggered. Because of how our brain stores and reacts to a past traumatic event, current smells, sounds, situations, and people can still trigger our fear response.

Let’s talk about some strategies you can use if you become triggered. 

What should you do if current events trigger past trauma?

Basic self-care like eating a healthy diet, getting enough rest, and drinking plenty of water can help tremendously while recovering from trauma. Gentle, daily movement also helps your body process stress. Other strategies include:

Identifying your triggers

When you know what your triggers are, you can more adequately cope with them. Coping with these triggers might mean avoiding them or learning how you can better adapt to triggers. Check-in with how you’re feeling throughout the day. Ask yourself how you’re feeling, where inside of your body you’re feeling it, and when it started. 

Following a routine

Eating at regular times can help your body acknowledge that it might not need to go into fear mode. The same is true for sleep. The more regulated your sleep schedule is, the more likely you are to have the energy you need to cope. It can also be helpful to work something fun into your schedule. That way, you have something you can look forward to each day. 

Avoiding big decisions

Making big decisions while you’re having a trauma response can cause you to make impulsive choices. Keep in mind that a traumatic response can last for days or weeks. If you think you’ve recently experienced a trigger, ask yourself how much your emotions are influencing a decision. If it feels more emotional than logical, it might be a good idea to put a pin in it for now. 

Limiting news and social media

Social media provides a platform for comparison. Whenever you’re recovering from a traumatic event is a less than optimal time to compare yourself to others. Comparing yourself to other people can easily turn into negative self-talk. Similarly, exposure to the news is likely to expose you to something traumatic. Even if it isn’t directly associated with something you’ve experienced, witnessing someone else’s trauma can be triggering. 

Being open to change

Change can be scary, but it also provides an opportunity for growth. It can be especially hard to keep this in mind if you’ve undergone a trauma that resulted in you losing your home or place of business. Understand that change can be negative, but it can also be positive. Try to look at attending a new school or finding a new home as an opportunity for growth. 

Finding a support system

Your support system might be your friends and family members. It’s helpful to talk to those who have undergone either the same or similar trauma as you. This is why support groups can be helpful. Many support groups specialize in a particular kind of trauma recovery. Look for support groups led by a professional counselor. 

Talking to a therapist

Processing trauma can be a hard process. A professional therapist can help you find the source of your trauma if you don’t already know it. They can also help you find healthy coping strategies that can work within your lifestyle.

It’s also helpful to seek a trauma-informed therapist. Trauma-informed therapy takes the trauma and all that entails into context during your sessions. Reach out today to learn more.