Trauma is the body/mind’s normal response to an abnormal situation. A traumatic reaction occurs when our senses and resources are completely overwhelmed by an external event, such as experiencing violence or a natural disaster, and our stress response goes into overdrive. When this occurs we no longer feel safe and our mind can have trouble making sense of the world. Our stress response stays activated and we may notice that we’re: 

• Restless

• Having nightmares/flashbacks of the event

• Startled easily or feel fearful

• Having difficulty sleeping

• Hypervigilant all the time (heart racing, feeling always on edge)

• Experiencing concentration/memory issues

• Easily frustrated or quick to anger

• Withdrawing from the world and experiencing various mental health issues such as depression and anxiety

• Finding ourselves self-medicating with alcohol and drugs

 

BetterSpace Wellbeing Clinic can provide support, help you learn strategies to relax your nervous system again and help you process the trauma. Not everyone’s experience is the same and not every strategy works the same for each person. At BetterSpace we will work with you to identify and develop the strategies and approach that is right for you and provide you a place for growth.