This article could be a book so it will not fit all signs of trauma. But today its important to recognize some of the symptoms that trauma has negatively affected your life. Maybe the events you have experienced you feel that they should not affect you that much, but the reality is even if you think it SHOULDN’T impact it probably has. See for me trauma snuck up on me. I had many events in my life that individually could have caused mental health issues, but I think I had managed them well until 5 years ago when my son had a near drowning experience. For a few years following this event I was not feeling myself. I have been in and out of therapy for the majority of my adult life and it just wasn’t helping anymore.
The major symptoms I started having were both physical and mental. I had major indigestion, could not sleep at night, raising thoughts, tightness in my chest, brain fog and loss of focus, short fuse (meaning getting angry easily), and even night sweats. The reality is my body was telling me the stress was too much. I went on a long journey of changing my eating habits, doing exercise that was gentler to my body, and seeing a functional medicine to make sure it was not just a physical issue. The reality for me was the stress had caused so much stress on my body, but the real issue was my mind. Things improved a little but not enough. Finally, I went for training to find out about his EMDR therapy everyone had told me great things about, but I was skeptical but honestly desperate.
The truth is that EMDR is and was the weirdest therapy I had ever experienced and administered. But it has been the most effective!! Between EMDR, healing the ulcers the stress had caused and changing my routines I was able to eliminate all my symptoms. Anxiety comes when it's appropriate but isn’t there all the time, sleep is so much better, and my stomach issues have healed! So let’s review some symptoms that can be indicators that stress, trauma or anxiety need some attention and healing.
If you have these symptoms don’t be afraid to reach out for help:
Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or sleeping too much.
Raising thoughts
Tightness in chest (please make sure if you have this symptoms you see a dr as well)
Anxiety
Sick to stomach with no sickness
High Reactivity to everything
Nightmares
Constant tension
Chaotic relationships
Suicidal thoughts
Avoiding emotions by numbing out using drugs, alcohol, exercise, work, etc.
Dissociation- constant feeling of spaciness and feeling distant from experiences or even losing time.
Flash backs
This is not an all-inclusive list as trauma is complex but EMDR can be a tool for many issues you may be facing and find a great clinician to help you with this process. You do not have to do this alone, you are not alone

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