In April 2020, the world went into lockdown due to Covid-19. Our lives and how we lived them changed overnight. Some of us might feel a lot of unexpected feelings at those times of year that remind us of difficult memories like this, and rightly so. Whether it is present in our minds or not, the anniversary of a traumatic event can have a psychological impact. The term ‘‘Traumaversary’ has infiltrated the mental health world in recent years. A ‘traumaversary’ is the anniversary of a traumatic event, so let’s first define what it is.
What is a traumatic event?
TO A traumatic event is something that happens to us that causes us harm.. This damage could be physical, emotional or psychological. The causes may be another person, an event beyond our control, or a natural cause.
Traumatic events generally include an intense feeling of threat that affects our nervous system and leads to a physiological threat response. It could include the threat of death or actual death or serious injury, it could include a threat to the physical safety of yourself or others, feelings of intense fear, helplessness or shock. As a result, a person may see the world differently, feeling unsafe and unpredictable.
Experiences like this can mean that some people develop symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as post-traumatic stress disorder or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). With work we can understand these symptoms and their causes, taking the time to process the events that occurred perhaps with the help of a therapist. Even then, anniversaries of traumatic events can pose specific challenges.
Signs or “triggers” related to trauma
People with traumatic experiences describe a “waxing and waning of PTSD symptoms” around the anniversary with increasingly intense struggles related to self-reflection, social connection, and finding meaning for the trauma.
There may also be A lot of growth that occurs around the time of an anniversary. as we evolve through reflection on what happened, how it affected us, and how far we have come since then.
Thanks to social media, the term “trigger” has become somewhat diluted in colloquial language use. But in a clinical sense, a trigger is a trauma-related cue that induces a PTSD response. These reminders of a traumatic event could be a sight, a sound, a smell, or even a date in the diary. Our physiological responses can be enormous and unexpected. But there is hope.
With self-reflection and support, trauma-related cues can be anticipated and linked to a particularly problematic time. And in relation to traumaversaries, this can be a good way to practice working with a reminder of the trauma and its overcoming.
Memorialize with meaning
Trauma anniversaries can be commemorated as a significant moment reflect, or they could become sources of anxiety. These moments can be reminders of publicly shared traumas, such as the anniversary of Covid-related closures or a natural disaster or terrorist attack. Others are personal and sometimes unknown to others, for example the death of a loved one or the date of a traumatic experience, such as being subjected to a mental health law or a sexual assault.
Early, time-bound signs of trauma, whether public or personal, can be a way to help us overcome and let go of physiological responses to trauma in a contained way, if done with compassion, patience, knowledge, and support.
Danger of resilience
People who experience trauma and survive are often described as “resilient.” However, refine and It is urgent to redefine what we understand by “resilience” for the sake of those who have experienced trauma. This poses a challenge.
For example, does resilience mean tenacity or positivity? Optimism or resilience are traits that are sometimes associated with those who have gone through difficult times, but life is never the same and neither are we. People who once felt or were perceived as optimistic or resilient may not always remain that way. People can change. Because these perceived traits can change, applauding vulnerable people for being resilient can make them more susceptible to isolation when their circumstances or perspectives change.
There is another danger in applauding resilience: that a person affected by trauma may feel “split,” that is, feeling pressure to act differently in different environments and hide their true feelings. Whether this repression is done consciously or not, either way it can have an intense psychological impact. For example, a police officer may perform very well at work while experiencing high levels of PTSD symptoms that may not affect him at work but may have profound effects on his family life or relationship with himself.
MQ is working with researchers to help create new solutions to help emergency workers recover from post-traumatic stress disorder and prevent its development.
How to help yourself
If you are experiencing distressing thoughts and feelings around the anniversary of a traumatic event and the resulting experiences you may have had, you are not alone and there are ways to help yourself and places to turn for help. Here are some suggestions on how to deal more healthily with traumas like this.
- Recognize and recognize feelings: Understand that your feelings are part of the recovery process. It can be helpful to journal about your feelings by writing them down and taking time to reflect on what you have written.
- Start a reflective ritual: Just as we remember a birthday with a party, it can be helpful to remember difficult times with an anniversary-related ritual. Maybe gather friends to talk about your real experiences or schedule a therapy session with a professional.
- Be proactive: If you feel the need to do something proactive, you could decide to volunteer your time to help a charity related to a cause related to your traumatic experience or you could raise money for a charity.
- Keep active. Activities that allow your mind to focus on something other than these memories are a good coping strategy for some people. Taking a walk in nature, meditating, and exercising can help. Maybe combine this with the previous point and raise funds with a charity event like a charity run.
- Remember and celebrate what we have lost: Whether it is grieving the loss of a life or the life you wanted to have, anniversaries can be an opportunity to remember and honor what is no longer with us.
- Reach out to your support system. It is vital to talk to trusted friends and family before difficult times. Isolation is not good for mental wellbeing, so stay connected. Help is always available.
