- [Narrator] Hey there, Psych2Go fans.
We're back to help you understand
everyday psychology better.
Trauma is often the result
of an overwhelming amount of stress
from a situation that exceeds one's ability to cope,
such as the death of a loved one,
the end of a meaningful relationship
or the rejection of a loved one.
Do you pretend that everything's good when it really isn't?
When you don't have a positive
and healthy way of dealing with your trauma,
you end up repressing your negative emotions.
It can be hard to recognize unresolved trauma
on the surface, especially within ourselves.
So here are nine signs
you're still suffering from unhealed trauma.
One, you resist positive change.
When something good comes into your life,
is your first instinct to be suspicious of it?
You have an innate feeling of shame or guilt
whenever you allow yourself to grow attached to someone
or celebrate your own success?
If so, you might be carrying unresolved trauma within you.
You have a hard time accepting positive change
and may even try to resist it at first,
because deep down inside,
you feel like you don't deserve to be happy.
Two, you need to plan for everything.
Do you have a need to stay completely in control?
Do you feel frustrated and lost
whenever things don't go the way you expect?
Your need for control is most likely rooted
in a traumatic experience
that left you feeling helpless and vulnerable.
As a result, you micromanage everything
and worry about the things that are out of your control.
This shows that you have a deep seated distrust
in both yourself and the world in general.
Three, you have a strong fear of failure.
Being afraid of failure is a normal part of human nature.
However, a strong fear of failure can be unhealthy
if it starts to outweigh your motivation to succeed.
Not only do you miss out on a lot of opportunities
and stifle your creativity and ambition because of it,
but it can also lead to perfectionism and insecurity.
It might be instilled in you by unresolved trauma
that causes you to have a negative belief in yourself
and internalize your shortcomings.
Four, you have a strong fear of success.
Alternately, repressed trauma can also manifest
through a strong fear of success.
Did you ever hold yourself back
from getting something you wanted,
not because you feared you might not get it,
but because you feared what would happen when you did?
You're afraid of losing what you'll have
even before you achieve it.
The tendency to unconsciously sabotage
your own chances of success
is often associated with those who were abandoned
or lost a loved one at a young age.
Five, you have difficulty concentrating.
Trauma has a lot of damaging psychological effects
and it's not uncommon for victims
to suddenly have difficulty concentrating.
If you've been having gaps in your memory,
blacking out often
and finding it hard to keep your train of thought,
it might be your mind crying out to you for help,
asking you to work through your trauma.
Six, you have trouble asking for help.
Do you have trouble opening up to others
about what happened to you?
If you've experienced some form of abuse or mistreatment,
you usually struggle with asking for help.
You'd rather suffer in silence
because you're too afraid to reach out to someone else.
You don't want to be rejected, denied, judged
or seen as weak by those around you.
Seven, you often hurt yourself or others.
Do you lash out at other people
when you're experiencing intense emotions?
Do you push your loved ones away and isolate yourself
whenever you have to deal with a problem?
If you're still hurting from unhealed trauma,
there are times when you might end up
taking it out on yourself or those you care about.
You become emotionally volatile,
out of control and overly sensitive.
You lose your temper, break things
and may even resort to self-harm.
Eight, you struggle with low self-esteem.
There are a lot of ways trauma can skew your self-image,
especially if it's rooted
in your early childhood experiences.
Abuse, abandonment and neglect can all lead you
to question your own self-worth.
You struggle to feel good about yourself
if the abuse was inflicted upon you by someone you loved.
Studies have shown that patients with PTSD
often suffer from low self-esteem
and feelings of worthlessness.
And nine, you have unexplained psychological symptoms.
Do you feel more anxious and panicky than before?
Do you find it hard to feel happier
or find pleasure from the things you used to enjoy?
Have you lost your appetite
or have trouble sleeping well at night?
According to research, anxiety, depression,
disassociation, depersonalization, panic attacks,
frequent flashbacks, nightmares and emotional distress
are all common in patients with PTSD.
Have you or someone you love ever experienced
a traumatic situation?
If so, how do you plan to overcome it?
If you're still suffering
from any lingering psychological trauma,
it's important that you reach out
to a mental healthcare professional today
and get the help you need to get better.
Healing from trauma takes time and effort,
but it's worth it,
and it's necessary in order to truly move forward in life
and find some peace of mind.
Please do share this with those you think
might benefit from it.
Stay tuned and thanks for watching.