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- [Narrator] Hey, Psych2Goers.
Welcome back to another video.
Have you experienced a traumatic event in your life?
It's actually quite common
and affects both men and women equally.
According to the National Center for PTSD,
seven to 8% of the U.S. population
will have PTSD at some point in their lives.
Trauma is not a disorder,
but an emotional response to an unexpected
and terrible event where you feel that your physical safety
and wellbeing was at risk.
Some causes include extreme grief or insecurity,
chronic stress, abuse, and living through natural disasters.
Following a traumatic event, you may experience flashbacks,
trouble relating to others and difficulty sleeping,
but there are also some symptoms
that are more subtle than you might think.
You might even do them,
but don't know that it's a sign of trauma.
So here are five signs
you're dealing with psychological trauma.
Number one, anxiety.
Do you notice yourself tenser and on the edge lately?
Studies have shown that trauma can make you more vulnerable
to developing psychiatric disorders
such as depression and anxiety.
The stress from the traumatic event
or from recalling moments surrounding the traumatic event,
like experiencing flashbacks,
can lead to an overwhelming feeling of lack of control.
You may find yourself getting easily wrapped up
in the emotions the traumatic event brings
that it causes your anxiety to worsen.
Number two, getting startled easily.
Are you easily alarmed?
When you experience psychological distress or trauma,
you may end up developing a heightened sensitivity
to your surroundings,
such as the people around you or the setting you're in.
The reason for this may be due
to the stress caused by the trauma.
Your brain is constantly anticipating danger,
and so, sends signals to your brain
to release cortisol and adrenaline
that prepares you for a fight or flight response.
This is why you may find yourself
more aware of what's happening around you
and jumpier at sudden movements.
Number three, guilt, shame or self-blame.
Do you often catch yourself feeling bad
or ashamed for things out of your control?
Unnecessary or untraceable guilt or shame
can be another symptom of psychological trauma.
These feelings can arise from the actual experience
or from the stigma surrounding the event you endured.
For example, if a death had occurred during the event,
you may experience survivor's remorse.
What's worse is is that the guilt and shame you feel
may end up preventing you from reaching out
for help, support and treatment.
Number four, aches and pain.
Have you experienced pain somewhere for no reason?
Another way psychological trauma can manifest itself
is through physical pain and aches.
The Institute for Chronic Pain found that at least 60%
of arthritis patients report experiencing trauma
at one point in their lives.
This is because pain and trauma go hand in hand.
Trauma causes pain and pain causes trauma.
A possible reason for this link
may have to do with the fact
that the neurotransmitters responsible
for regulating emotional response also regulate pain.
Another reason could be that your nervous system
becomes overly active due to chronic stress
or emotional distress
that it eventually causes central pain sensitization.
Number five, disconnected or daydreaming.
Do you daydream a lot?
Another sign of psychological trauma is disconnectedness
and it can manifest itself as emotional numbness
or maladaptive daydreaming.
Though, these two symptoms seem different,
both are a disconnection from reality
that serve as a coping mechanism.
It's your mind's way of creating a safe space
when there isn't one available.
While neither manifestations seem harmful,
both can cause you to withdrawal socially
and drive you deeper into loneliness.
As a result, your social life,
such as your relationship
with your friends and family, may suffer.
If you have experienced trauma,
remember that you're not alone
and there are steps you can take to help you cope with it.
So don't be afraid to reach out for help and support.
If you find this video helpful,
be sure to like, subscribe
and share this video with those who might benefit from it.
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The references and studies used in this video
are added in the description below.
Thanks for watching and see you in our next video.