How Living Through Trauma Affects Your Life

Don't Lose Hope

Apr 30

"A girl who has lived through trauma has lived through a situation where her body, her mind, her self was not her own. Where she felt disjointed, ripped from her self, safety, and sanity. It was a moment, an experience, a something where her trust was smashed, her worth was gone and all there was pain." – Victor Second

1. Even when you feel you have survived a trauma, it never completely goes away. The symptoms you experience may become less intense over time, and you may be triggered less frequently … but there will always be some pain, some unwanted residue.

2. Sometimes it is loud – it demands you pay attention – and it interferes with life, and affects your functioning. And when it makes a scene, there is nothing you can do but acknowledge "this is real, and it hasn't gone away."

3. Sometimes it is quiet, and it sneaks up unawares. A stained memory is stirred; you start to feel uncomfortable. You suddenly react, or you feel emotional. Or your sleep is disturbed, or you start to think dark thoughts like: "I'll never be normal, or whole, again."

4. There are bandaged wounds and lesions which never seem to heal. You struggle with self doubt and with low self-esteem. You find it hard to trust, or to feel safe and relaxed. And you're always on your guard; you can't risk being vulnerable.

5. You're always waiting for the other shoe to drop. Life is complicated now. It's a knotted, tangled mess. There are times when you feel shaky, and unsteady on your feet. And you feel things could unravel with the slightest tug or pull.

6. And though you know you have survived and made it to the other side – there are burn marks on your skin. There will always be these scars. Life is different from before. There are demons you must fight.

This is something you must deal with on daily basis now.

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