Trauma

Trauma takes many forms, from witnessing a bomb blast to suffering long-term abuse. If you or your child struggles to overcome a traumatic experience or has post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, visit Leon Sankofa, Sr., MSW, at Family & Youth Foundations in Hampton and Danville, Virginia. Leon and his team have exceptional skills and experience in helping adults and children recover from trauma. Call Family & Youth Foundations today or book an appointment online to find peace from trauma and PTSD.

What is trauma?

Trauma is anything that causes deep, lasting psychological pain and damage. It can happen to anyone, including children. Examples of traumatic experiences include:

• Auto accidents
• Personal assaults
• Disasters like earthquakes and tornados
• Airplane crashes
• Sexual abuse
• Death of a loved one
• Being in a war zone
• Terrorist attacks
• Severe injuries
• Witnessing someone being harmed

Children can suffer trauma if their parents argue loudly or if there’s physical violence in the home. Bullying, racism, and intolerance at school can also cause trauma.

What problems does trauma cause?

Trauma is shocking and deeply distressing. It can cause physical problems like shaking, trouble breathing, nausea and vomiting, and a pounding heartbeat. Afterward, you might feel emotionally shaken, exhausted, and teary for days or weeks. But gradually, you adjust to the experience, and the memory no longer dominates your thoughts.

For some people, this adjustment doesn’t happen, or they believe they’re OK, and everything returns worse than ever. This problem is called post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

If you have PTSD, the memories of the horrific event are always at the forefront of your mind. The memories don’t fade but become so overwhelming that you have difficulty focusing on anything else.

Trying to hide or ignore the feelings usually makes PTSD worse. You can also suffer from depression and/or anxiety. Some people develop substance use disorders, turning to alcohol or drugs to manage their pain.

How does trauma affect children?

Depending on their age, children who’ve experienced trauma might have problems like:

• Stomach aches and headaches
• Nightmares and sleep problems
• Refusing to go to bed
• Trouble concentrating
• Losing interest in activities they once enjoyed
• Expressing feelings of guilt
• Talking about revenge
• Becoming clingy
• Being tearful and panicky
• Having tantrums
• Being irritable and angry
• Bedwetting and thumb-sucking
• Performing poorly at school
• Withdrawing from family and friends
• Being disruptive or destructive

These reactions can be a normal part of recovering from trauma and should ease over time. But if they last more than a month, call Family & Youth Foundations for expert advice.

What can help ease trauma?

Treating trauma successfully requires an personalized approach, but you or your child might benefit from:

• Antidepressant medication
• Anti-anxiety medicines
• Psychotherapy (talk therapy)
• Behavioral therapy
• Hypnotherapy

Hypnotherapy is especially effective in releasing you from trauma’s hold. You also learn to put yourself into a deeply relaxed state that you can use in everyday situations to stay calm.

Call Family & Youth Foundations today or book an appointment online to learn how you can benefit from hypnotherapy for trauma.