"I can't eat. I can't sleep. I get emotional at the drop of a pin! Everything bothers me. I blow up at my family and friends for what looks like no reason! I feel like I'm losing my mind! I'm seeing things, but only flashes of things from the past!" I hear at least one of these things almost every day. Trauma can really make us believe we are losing our minds, but how can I tell whether I have trauma or if I'm really losing my mind? The truth is that's not a fair question. The truth is that we're all broken in one way or another. As you read this post, you have either lived through a traumatic experience or you will likely experience a traumatic event at some point in your life. Trauma affects everyone differently depending on a lot of variables, especially relationships in our family of origin and attachments we either have, or have not been able to form.
There are several online "self-administered" trauma screens online. Some are good and some are not. If you are unsure if you are suffering with traumatic stress, please see a licensed and certified clinical professional that is well-trained to assess and recognize signs and symptoms of trauma. For informational purposes only, and not to be used as an assessment of any kind, I have listed a few potential symptoms to be aware of if you think you may be suffering from the effects of trauma.
You have experienced a life event that you just can't seem to put in the past. You remember this event, but it "feels" like it is happening again.
You're constantly "on edge". You are really uncomfortable in crowds of people and are constantly "on guard". When you are unable to watch your back you can often feel tension in your body and often feel jumpy.
You avoid thinking about the event, almost at any cost. When you do think about the event, it sets you on edge to the point of feeling it in your body.
You re-experience the event. This can be in the form of traumatic memory, flashbacks, nightmares, or night terrors.
You sometimes have these symptoms that can be embarrassing in the presence of others. This may mean you "make a hasty retreat" at an inopportune time, snap at someone for no apparent reason, or dissociate (zone out) around others. You may either cry or lash out for no apparent reason, leaving others wondering what has happened.
You have a difficult time concentrating or focusing your mind on a task. Thing take longer than they used to.
You may be having difficulties at work, school, or at home. You may find it unusually difficult to get work done or to even actively participate in a conversation.
You may have difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep. When you sleep you may have strange dreams. You may sleep but wake feeling exhausted and anxious.
You may feel distant or cut off from others. Interpersonal relationships may seem difficult.
You may be experiencing intense negative emotions like anger, fear, frustration, sadness, anxiety, or horror.
You may blame yourself or others, beside the person that may have hurt you, for what happened (especially in children and adolescents).
The world may just seem more negative or dangerous.
You may have lost enjoyment in things you used to really like.
Parts of the traumatic experience may be lost in your mind, or may just be fuzzy. It may seem like parts of the experience have been lost or forgotten.
You may have begun taking more risks that you wouldn't have considered before the event.
Please be cautious with the above list of potential symptoms and avoid jumping to conclusions. Before attempting to self-diagnose, please consider seeing a competent, licensed professional that has been adequately trained in trauma therapy. The above list is for initial informational purposes only and not intended as a self-diagnosis.
Areas of Caution!
Even the best therapist can only work with the information they have, so please be completely open and honest with your therapist. Incomplete or inaccurate information can result in a misdiagnosis. A misdiagnosis may well result in a bad, or useless treatment plan, wasting your time and money. You'll save time and money by giving your therapist all of the information they need to make an appropriate diagnosis and a workable treatment plan.
If you seem to be hearing, seeing, or smelling things other people can't sense, this needs to be addressed by your therapist. This is where it is absolutely critical to choose a licensed therapist that is WELL TRAINED in the treatment of traumatic stress. Symptoms of trauma can sometimes overlap with symptoms of psychosis or other more serious mental health problems. These need to be carefully differentiated before a diagnosis is made. Remember, a serious psychotic or mood disorder diagnosis can follow you for a lifetime, especially if you are paying for therapy with your health insurance reimbursement.
If you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself, do not wait on an appointment with your therapist. Please call 988 immediately. This is the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and is available 24 hours. If you prefer, you can also dial 911 for local emergency services. Whatever you decide, please do not hesitate. The crisis will pass and you will recover, but only if you take action and live through it.
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