Trauma is a common buzzword, especially for the Millennial and Gen Z population. But what does trauma mean, and do you have it? These are important questions to face during your 20s, in order to grow and flourish mentally, physically, and spiritually. Below we look at understanding and dealing with trauma in your 20s.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is a lasting emotional response following a difficult or distressing event or part of your life. This is unique to each individual as we all process events differently. A traumatic event can leave a lasting impression on a person’s mental health, sense of safety, and sense of self. Childhood trauma is one of the most common reasons for our self-limiting thoughts and behaviors as adults.
Symptoms of Trauma
Trauma responses vary from person to person, but there are some common symptoms to look out for, such as:
- Intrusive thoughts or flashbacks, which may be triggered by a certain action, place, or event
- Avoidance
- Feeling on edge most of the time, which is also known as hyperarousal
- Emotional numbness, which can make you feel ‘detached’ from reality, surroundings, and loved ones
- Difficulty trusting others
- Negative changes in mood
- Self-destructive behavior
You may notice some or most of these symptoms, and they are almost always linked to some kind of trauma.
Changing Your Mindset Around Trauma
People with trauma often try to disregard how they feel or compare themselves to others. This can come in the form of thoughts like ‘it wasn’t that bad’, ‘I shouldn’t feel like this’, ‘I still had my needs met and had a roof over my head’, and ‘I didn’t have it as bad as X’. One of the starting points for dealing with trauma in your 20s is to avoid comparison to others and acknowledge that your trauma deserves attention and healing from.
To some degree, everyone has trauma. Even if your childhood was relatively ‘perfect’, this can still leave you with things that need to be dealt with, whether it be a toxic relationship, a difficult parent, boundary setting, or anything else. Sometimes trauma is locked away and stored deep down, but our unconscious actions still hold onto that trauma, which is why we act the way we do, even when we know it’s not right for us.
Seeking Support
Support comes in different forms, depending on the type of trauma you faced in your life. For example, if you were a survivor of police brutality, support can be a lawsuit for unlawful use of lethal force. You should also speak to loved ones about how you think and feel, as this can help you to process your thoughts and realize you’re not alone in dealing with it.
Counseling or therapy is a really good thing to get into in your 20s, even if you think ‘you don’t need it’. Many things can come up during therapy which could have taken many more years to uncover and will only halt your healing process.
Understanding and dealing with trauma in your 20s is a difficult but essential part of becoming stronger and resilient. This is the perfect time to unlearn traits that are holding you back and work on rebuilding yourself to be the person you want to be.
