The Ripple Effect: The Often Undiscussed Symptoms of Trauma

Mental WellnessTrauma and Healing
Written By Rebecca Rondeau
A hand creating ripples in water.

What Is Trauma?

The “Big T.” Trauma is often thought of as something big and dramatic—like a major accident, a significant loss, or long-standing abuse. But it’s important to recognize that trauma can be much more nuanced, varied, and normalized in society. Your experiences, no matter how big or small, are valid. It’s also not just about the events themselves but other variables around us at the time, like how much or little we received support during and afterward, or how vulnerable we were before the event in the first place. While trauma can absolutely be defined as something huge like a significant loss, it can also be the smaller hurts in life, like a bad breakup, a stressful job, being bullied as a kid, or parents who demanded perfection from us as children. Trauma happens when life throws something at us that feels too big to handle. And remember, when we are little, most of life feels pretty big.

Very early in my career, I had the privilege of attending a training with psychologist Ricky Greenwald, director of The Child Trauma Institute. The training consisted of strategies and formulations for assessing and treating trauma. He said one of the most profound things (and I’m definitely paraphrasing, but the full scope of this can be found in his works cited below): “Bad things happen to everyone, to varying degrees, and when bad things happen to us, they begin to build up and create a sore spot inside. These bad things start to make us believe bad things about ourselves, others, and our place in the world. Then, when things happen in the present day that even feel a little bit like the old bad things that happened to us, it hits that sore spot, and we have a reaction from that old place.”

As I’ve already mentioned, when we are children, it doesn’t take much to feel overwhelming or too much for us to handle. Our perceptions of events from those times do not always consider all the variables and information. Children tend to personalize things and take responsibility for things that are not theirs to own. What might seem manageable to an adult can feel catastrophic to a child.

We retain those thoughts and beliefs throughout our lives, reacting on autopilot in the present. This means that our past experiences, particularly those that were traumatic, can influence our present behavior without us consciously realizing it. For instance, if a past experience has led to a fear of abandonment, you might find yourself constantly seeking reassurance in your relationships without consciously understanding why.

Common Symptoms of Trauma

The effects of trauma can ripple through our lives, influencing our thoughts, behaviors, and physical well-being in ways we might not immediately recognize. Because of that sore spot I mentioned, we can have reactions to things in the present day that don’t always make sense to other people. They might not even make complete sense to ourselves at the time. But everyone makes sense to themselves in some way. When we start connecting the dots between our present-day reactions and past experiences, it all begins to fall into place. When we work toward healing those past experiences, however large or small we think they might be, we start to be able to move away from the automatic reactions we have.

Trauma can show up in many ways, and sometimes the signs aren’t immediately obvious. Here’s a comprehensive list of symptoms that might indicate trauma:

  • Feeling Jumpy, Overreacting to Stress, and Hypervigilance: You might find yourself easily startled or feeling on edge all the time. This heightened state of alertness is often a sign of hyperarousal, where your nervous system remains on high alert, preparing for danger. This can lead to feeling jumpy or overreacting to everyday stressors, where minor annoyances or challenges feel overwhelming or trigger intense emotional responses. This can also include agitation and irritability, where you might feel unusually irritable or have frequent outbursts of anger, even over minor things. It’s a constant state of vigilance, making everyday situations seem more intense and challenging.

  • Avoidance, Procrastination, and Difficulty Making Decisions: Trauma can lead to avoidance behaviors where you steer clear of certain people, places, or situations that you find distressing. This can also be more subtle, like procrastinating on tasks or avoiding changes to routines. Additionally, difficulty making decisions, whether big or small, can stem from a fear of making the wrong choice rooted in past trauma. Emotional numbness can also make it hard to decide what feels right. These behaviors are ways your mind tries to protect you from further hurt or stress.

  • Negative Thoughts: Persistent feelings of sadness, guilt, or feeling like you’re not good enough can be signs of trauma’s impact. This negative self-talk can make you feel like you’re constantly at fault or inherently flawed. Sometimes, these thoughts can be sneaky, manifesting as a compulsive drive to be perfect or to avoid making mistakes. This might show up as an intense need to “be better” without clear or realistic goals for achieving and measuring improvement. These internal pressures can be overwhelming and contribute to a constant sense of inadequacy or failure.

  • Difficulty Connecting with Others: Struggling to form or maintain relationships can be a sign of trauma affecting your sense of trust and intimacy. This might manifest as isolation, mistrust, or an inability to fully engage with others.

  • Flashbacks and Dissociation: Trauma can cause you to reexperience past events through flashbacks or intrusive memories. It might feel like you’re reliving or experiencing those moments through dreams. Dissociation can also occur, where you feel detached from reality or observe yourself from outside your body. Both flashbacks and dissociation can be distressing and make staying grounded in the present difficult.

  • Chronic Fatigue and Unexplained Physical Ailments: Feeling constantly drained, even after a full night’s sleep, along with frequent headaches, stomachaches, or muscle tension without a clear cause, can be linked to unresolved trauma. Trauma can leave you feeling exhausted as your body and mind try to cope. Sleep issues such as frequent nightmares or trouble sleeping can further impact your well-being.

  • Compulsive Behaviors: Engaging in repetitive or compulsive behaviors, such as excessive shopping, eating, or gambling, might be a way to cope with or distract from trauma.

Why It’s Important to Talk About Trauma

Understanding these symptoms is the first step in recognizing when trauma might be affecting our lives. By being aware, we can be kinder to ourselves and seek the right support. Addressing trauma is crucial for finding healthier ways to cope and ultimately moving forward. It’s important to remember that healing is possible, and asking for help isn’t a weakness; it’s a brave step toward that healing.

Even when we feel like we are functioning well, exploring these ideas is still important. I often hear from clients who share their confusion about why they feel the way they do despite their lives appearing successful and fulfilling. They might be thriving in various aspects yet still struggle with persistent feelings of unhappiness, sadness, or fear. Exploring trauma, even when it seems like everything is going well, can help us understand these feelings better and find paths to greater emotional well-being.

You can learn more about how I work with trauma and healing here.

Getting Help

If you notice these symptoms in yourself or someone you care about, reaching out to a therapist who specializes in trauma can provide valuable support and tools. It’s a step towards healing and regaining control over your life.

This can be a scary first step, but take a look at my blog on what to expect in first therapy sessions here.

Final Thoughts

Trauma can leave its mark in various, often hidden ways. While its impact is not always obvious, it can affect our everyday lives more than we realize. Recognizing these symptoms is the first step toward understanding and healing.

Don’t hesitate to seek support—it’s vital to reclaiming your well-being.

Interested in starting therapy?

If you’re interested in exploring these ideas further or need some support, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me for a free consultation at my Contact Page. Or you can learn more about me here and more about Individual Therapy here.

Citations (and other references with similar ideas)

Rebecca Rondeau https://www.rondeautherapyservices.com
Previous

Uncovering Hidden Symptoms of ADHD: What You Might Not Know
Next

Unpacking Our Shared Human Experience: The Experience and Impact of Irrational Beliefs