Key Strategies to Disrupt Trauma-Driven Depression
Are you aware of the relationship between traumatic experiences and depression?
Did you know that experiences and responses to traumatic events could lead to long-term consequences if people have not yet fully developed positive coping strategies, good experiences and resilience or in the absence of a stronger social support system. Sometimes responses to trauma are not immediate, but rather arrive later in life and then it influences our daily lives. Delayed responses to trauma may include sleep disorders, fatigue, disengagement in the activities, and depression etc. (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014).
Some ways to reduce Trauma-Driven Depression can include:
As per research some helpful strategies to reduce the risk of experiencing delayed trauma responses can include
Acknowledgment of the traumatic events and recognizing our emotional responses to them
Understanding the idea of delayed trauma response and its impacts on our health
Developing coping strategies to manage and handle symptoms in an adaptive way and
Seeking social support from people you trust, feel safe with as well as getting professional treatment and counselling.
Remind yourself that you are not alone in your experiences. Have courage to let your family, friends and therapist know about your needs or perhaps you need to create boundaries if your family is the cause of your stress.
Allow yourself to figure out whether you need time and space to heal, or need a skilled clinician in your corner to talk with or share your story with. Being vulnerable can be very hard so take your time and see if you can be honest with yourself. Try to open up your feelings by talking to someone that you trust, care and love. Express your feelings as they come up rather than suppressing them. It can not only help improve the bond between you and your community, friends and family, but could also promote your own healing process. Acknowledge that what you are experiencing and have experienced are not abnormal, instead, you should find appropriate coping strategies to help you heal from the stress and symptoms.
Here is a great way to start connecting with yourself and your body :
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References
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. (2014). Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Chapter 3, Understanding the Impact of Trauma. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207191/
