{"id":3270,"date":"2025-11-12T03:52:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-12T03:52:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.wisdomwithwhiskers.com.au\/?p=3270"},"modified":"2025-11-12T04:15:12","modified_gmt":"2025-11-12T04:15:12","slug":"how-to-spot-your-trauma-a-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wisdomwithwhiskers.com.au\/?p=3270","title":{"rendered":"How to spot your trauma – a guide"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Therapist Con Healy drew on his own experience of trauma to help others recognise the signs in their lives. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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By Con Healy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was July 2000. I had just turned 60. I was unemployed after being made redundant from a job I had held since 1988. Was I depressed? No, I had a plan – I was going to become a counsellor. I told my plan to my psychologist (she was my third one). She said it was a good idea and suggested I might process some of the trauma in my life … before becoming a counsellor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One afternoon I decided to look into my brain and search for anything that my mind found painful. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That list noted 12 events that were biding their time in my \u201cIn File\u201d. Within a week, the list expanded to 21. Another search blew the list out to 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow, there were 28 events in my life that needed to be examined, processed and released. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples? How do I feel about being made redundant? How do feel about the weeks of farewells from fellow work mates? (800 of us were made redundant in June 2020). How do I feel about being 60? There as grief\/loss from the death of my wife in 2016. A recent prostate cancer scare. What about the Covid pandemic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Were some event of the List of 28 traumatic? No. Some were.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trauma is defined as \u201can emotional and psychological response to deeply distressing or overwhelming events that exceed a person’s ability to cope. It’s not just the event itself, but how the event impacts someone internally – affecting their sense of safety, security, and wellbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this in mind, I opened my journal and started to write. It took me months to get through the list. It was painful at times. I did feel I had let go of a lot of pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It did beg the question: How would a person recognise trauma in their life?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A person may recognise trauma in their life through a combination of physical, emotional, behavioral, and cognitive symptoms that persist after distressing events or ongoing stressors. Trauma can result from one-off incidents (Big T trauma) or ongoing, less obvious stressors (Small-T trauma).<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are a few things to look for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Physical Signs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Constant tiredness and unexplained fatigue, even after adequate rest.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Headaches or general body aches with no clear medical cause.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Difficulty falling asleep, restless or disrupted sleep.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unusual physical sensations or increased sensitivity.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Emotional and Behavioral Symptoms<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Persistent feelings of sadness, anxiety, fear, or panic.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feeling disconnected from emotions or emotionally numb.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intense anger, irritability, or emotional instability.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intrusive thoughts, memories, or flashbacks related to traumatic experiences.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Avoidance of reminders (places, people, activities) associated with trauma.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Social withdrawal or isolation; changes in relationships; loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Increased use of alcohol or drugs to cope.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cognitive and Psychological Changes<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Difficulty concentrating or memory problems.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Persistent negative beliefs about self, others, or the world (e.g., feeling damaged, helpless, or unsafe).<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sense of hopelessness about the future.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Self-blame, guilt, or shame, sometimes irrationally believing oneself responsible for the trauma.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other Signs<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hypervigilance, feeling constantly \u201con guard\u201d and unable to relax.<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Loss of identity or difficulty with day-to-day conversations and activities.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Risky or reckless behaviors, trouble trusting others, or difficulty forming relationships.<\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trauma can surface weeks, months, or even years after distressing events. Reactions are highly individualised and can be influenced by a person\u2019s lived experience, coping resources, and support systems. If someone suspects unresolved trauma, speaking with a therapist or mental health professional is recommended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you need help to process your trauma?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Contact: Wisdom with Whiskers Counselling on 0438 559 515.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Email: wisdomwithwhiskers@gmail.com<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Are you dealing with Small-T Trauma?<\/a><\/blockquote>