Why Be Trauma Informed?

Trauma is an event, series of events, or a set of circumstances that are experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening and can have lasting adverse effects on an individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being” (Substance Abuse and Mental HealthServices Administration, 2017, para. 1) Trauma is so much more prevalent than it was decades ago. It was estimated by one of my professors a couple years ago that over 75% of the students at the local high school had experienced some type of trauma during their short lives already. I grew up in a relatively small city and led what many would call a sheltered life. Unfortunately that wasn't the case for my husband. He experienced neglect, physical abuse, as well as emotional and mental abuse. One of his daughters was also neglected, physically abused and possibly even sexually abused while living with biological mother and step father before coming to live with us. Because of my experiences growing up I had no idea what I was getting into let alone how to help them. Generations of abuse and neglect. Their trauma caused me trauma. I was thankful to have a counselor who began doing research. The more she learned the more she taught me, the moreI learned the more I wanted to learn. I eventually changed my major from Business Management to Family Studies and Human Services with a Minor in Conflict Analysis in Trauma Studies. I quickly began to realize raising this child wasn't going to be like raising the other children in our home. Trauma causes our brains to work differently. The system that is set up to protect us and allows us to fight, flight, or freeze is usually broken. Instead of coming on when we need it, it stays on all the time. This is called hypervigilance. People of trauma are always on the alert. This disrupts their sleep, it can affect how they eat, and certain chemicals are being released into their bodies more often than it should. Cortisol is one such chemical that is supposed to help calm us down but too much of it can lead to things like obesity. Too much cortisol for too long can also cause brain cells to die. In our house trauma looked like a child who would get up in the middle of the night and steal food so no one else could have any of that special snack. It was acting out sexually toward siblings, or sneaking to watch inappropriate videos on youtube. It eventually led to suicidal ideations and attempts of suicide. Had I not been trauma informed I wouldn't have been able to identify the triggers for her. I wouldn't have known when she gets in trouble for doing certain things her response is to make a big scene and cut herself. Without being trauma informed I would have never realized her acting out in anger coincided when Dad would come home from long trips for training were because she was scared he would never come back. In non trauma informed situations parents would punish for the behavior. When we are trauma informed we can look at why a person is acting out and try to get to the bottom of the situation, because in many instances what is going on isn't really what it is all about. Journaling is a great way to channel a person's energy. There are also various mindfulness techniques like deep breathing or squared breathing to help a person through their triggers. But all my learning didn't protect me because I wasn't practicing self care. It is important for those who are working with people of trauma or who live with someone who has experienced trauma to practice self care. Burn out is a real thing and it happens quickly. You are no good to anyone else if you aren't fully charged yourself. Self care can look different but just do something to refuel yourself. For me it's a hot bath with essential oils.