Recognizing Trauma Responses in Everyday Life
Written by Alexia Eller, LCSW, this blog reflects her expertise in mental health, trauma recovery, and substance use. Drawing on her experience working with diverse populations, including first responders and survivors of crime, Alexia provides practical guidance for personal growth and resilience.
Recognizing trauma responses in everyday life can be an important step in understanding how past traumatic experiences affect present behaviors, emotions, and interactions. Often trauma responses can be subconscious and manifest in different ways, depending on the type of trauma and how the individual copes. Understanding how they can show up subtly or in more overt ways, can be a crucial part of healing.
The National Library of Medicine talks about a broad understanding of stress reactions, the sequences they can occur in along with common experiences for an individual after experiencing trauma (1).
Here are some common trauma responses to look out for in everyday life: (3)
1. Hypervigilance (Constantly on Edge)
Being overly alert or constantly scanning your environment for danger. Individuals may startle easily, become easily irritated, or react defensively to perceived threats, even in safe situations.
2. Emotional Numbing or Detachment
Feeling emotionally disconnected, numb, or indifferent to things that would normally evoke strong emotional responses. This is a coping mechanism to avoid overwhelming feelings.
3. Intrusive Thoughts and Flashbacks
Recurrent, involuntary memories or flashbacks related to the trauma. These memories can feel as though the traumatic event is happening all over again.
4. Overwhelming Guilt or Shame
Feeling intense guilt or shame, even about things that weren’t their fault. This may be linked to a belief that they are unworthy of love, success, or happiness due to their trauma.
5. Difficulty Setting Boundaries
Trouble saying "no" or feeling compelled to please others, often at the expense of one's own needs or well-being. This may be a response to past abuse or neglect, where personal boundaries were not respected.
In order to acknowledge the trauma responses that can be carried over into everyday life, it is also good to have ways on how to manage the responses when they occur. The National Library of Medicine (1) gives information on how it can start with Acute Stress Disorder which is symptoms showing within 4 weeks of incident causing distress but without applicable trauma therapy, such as DBT, CBT, EMDR or ART; the symptoms can become more severe and lead to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (2). Here are some tips to keep in your back pocket when you feel shaken from a traumatic response.
How to Manage Trauma Responses: (1)
Self-awareness: Recognizing these responses is the first step. Journaling, therapy, or simply observing your own reactions can help you notice patterns that may be linked to past trauma.
Grounding techniques: Practices like mindfulness, deep breathing, or grounding exercises can help bring you back to the present moment when you feel overwhelmed by trauma-related emotions or thoughts.
Seeking Professional Support: Therapy, especially trauma-focused therapy (like EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy), can be incredibly helpful in processing trauma.
Creating a safe environment: Surrounding yourself with supportive and understanding people who respect your boundaries can help you feel more secure and less reactive.
Developing healthy coping mechanisms: Finding healthy ways to manage emotions—such as exercise, art, meditation, or engaging in hobbies—can help reduce the intensity of trauma responses.
Recognizing trauma responses is crucial for self-compassion and healing. With the right support and strategies, individuals can learn to manage their trauma responses in a way that allows them to move toward recovery and healthier patterns of living. If you are interested in learning more about how to recognize trauma responses and how to manage them, you can reach out to our Arlington, TX office and meet with a therapist.
References:
