Healing from Trauma: 7 Tips to Help You Move On

Everyone faces some sort of trauma in their life. If you’ve recently experienced a traumatic event of your own, know that you’re not alone and there are ways to cope. Healing from trauma is one of the most difficult tasks that you’ll ever accomplish, but you will accomplish it.

Don’t let your past trauma hold you hostage. Continue reading below for our guide on healing from trauma. Here are 9 tips to help you move on from these traumatic events. 

1. Learning to Breathe

Remembering to take deep breaths is a great way to relieve some of the stress associated with trauma. A good tip is to set your watch, your phone, or even your computer to a timer for every hour. Each hour, a timer will go off indicating that it’s time for you to take a couple of seconds out of your day to remember to take some deep breaths.

Take three deep breaths each time the timer goes off. Inhale while counting to 4 and then hold that breath for 7 more seconds. When you exhale, try to do so as slowly as possible while counting to 8. 

Do this three times while closing your eyes. This is the best way to relax and gather a sense of calmness. 

2. Stay Social

Try not to isolate yourself even though that’s one of the easiest things to do when feeling upset or while going through hard times. Although you might want to stay isolated, refrain from doing so because it’ll make things worst. 

Yes, alone time is always needed and beneficial, but isolating yourself from everyone around you for an extended period of time is not. Remember that you don’t have to talk about your trauma with others if you’d rather not. Just do your best to be around those who love you and participate in normal day-to-day activities. 

This helps get your mind off of the traumatic experience and more on the now.

3. Get Out and Exercise

Another way to stop focusing on the trauma and start focusing on the now is to get out and exercise. Exercising helps the function of your nervous system. The best type of exercise to help you with this is anything that requires movement of both your arms and legs. 

Your entire focus will be on the movements of your body and not on the traumatic experience. Consider engaging in activities such as running, dancing, swimming, rock climbing, martial arts, or even basketball just to name a few. Give yourself at least 30 minutes a day to dedicate to your exercise routine. 

If you can’t fit a 30-minute window into your schedule, then consider doing three 10-minute windows.

4. Focus on Your Health

The more stress that our bodies endure, the more susceptible they are to becoming sick. It’s important that you focus on staying healthy. Here are a few ways to do just that.

Alcohol and Drugs

Try to avoid alcohol and all other drugs while trying to heal from trauma. Consuming alcohol and taking other forms of drugs worsens your mindset altogether. 

Sleep Patterns

Try to regain a healthy sleep pattern. As an adult, you should be getting anywhere between 7-9 hours of sleep. Put yourself on a healthy routine of going to bed and waking up at the same time each day. 

Healthy Foods

Amino acids are great for adding into your diet and can help you greatly. Eat small meals throughout the day that are well-balanced and high in omega-3 fats. 

5. Seek Out Help

Never hesitate to seek out help when it’s needed. If the trauma that you experienced is affecting your daily functions such as work activities, relationships, friendships, social life, then it’s time to seek out help. 

Professional Help

Mental health experts are there to help you. You may be suffering from anxiety, depression, nightmares, and more. A professional EMDR therapist in Los Angeles will give you the tools you need to relieve yourself from all of this.

EMDR is a fantastic type of specialized therapy, specifically for trauma.

Support Groups

If you don’t want to sit down with someone one-on-one, you should consider joining a support group. Support groups are filled with people who have all experienced something similar to you. Sometimes it’s helpful to talk with other people who are going through similar things as you and can relate. 

6. Get Back Into a Routine

The sooner that you can get back into your regular daily routine, the better. Getting back to a normal routine helps you feel more normal. Once you begin the process, you’ll start to feel more control over your life. 

For example, although you might want to sleep in on days when you can or stay in the home as much as possible, get out of the house and go get that morning cup of coffee that you always used to get. 

7. Find Ways to Meditate

Find several different ways to meditate. Meditation doesn’t always have to be sitting on the floor crossed-leg while humming a mantra. Meditation comes in many forms. 

For example, meditation can be taking a couple of minutes to sit outside and focus on your breathing. Focusing on your breathing and on your surroundings is a great way to clear your mind from the trauma. You should also consider yoga and tai chi for meditation. 

When Will You Begin Healing From Trauma?

If you experienced a traumatic experience lately, then it’s time that you begin your healing. Healing from trauma is a process that takes time and commitment. But following these 7 tips above is a great way to get the help you need!

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