What Unhealed Trauma Looks Like

Unhealed trauma can affect every area of our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. Many of us deal with trauma by compartmentalizing our lives or repressing our symptoms. This can make it appear like we are coping and moving forward when we might still be affected by events or experiences in our past.

We might not have described certain experiences as “traumatic” as they were happening, but years later, we might start connecting the dots between our present state and a past event.

Healing certain trauma might take years of work, but the least any of us can do is to observe the potential symptoms of trauma in our lives and begin tracing them back to their source. When we can confront and begin unpacking trauma, we have already begun the process of healing it.

Unhealed Trauma and Behavior

A person’s mannerisms, routines, and moods tell a lot about them. Most people have a certain predictability about them, and the people who know them best know what to expect from them. If our behavior starts changing, this could show unhealed trauma coming to the surface.

For example, someone might become suddenly reclusive, pulling away from friends and social events. They might become short-tempered or start having mood swings. Behavior like this will affect their friends and loved ones, and most certainly is a sign of something not being dealt with.

Unhealed Trauma and Emotions

Unhealed trauma most commonly comes to the surface in the context of intimate relationships. We might have successfully repressed our emotional response to a traumatic event, but something about intimacy begins triggering it.

We might feel numb, anxious, and on edge, or we might become insecure and terrified of abandonment. Intimacy tends to bring us face-to-face with our unhealed trauma, and many people start sabotaging relationships and friendships because they don’t want to face the trauma.

The attachment style we have is often informed by the traumatic events we went through. It’s often only possible to feel more secure in intimate relationships when we have unpacked the trauma in our lives. At the very least, it helps to understand why we are the way we are.

Unhealed Trauma in Our Bodies

What happens on the inside of us has a way of affecting the outside of us because we are complex, and our whole being is interconnected. We might start feeling things like muscle tension and cramps that seem unrelated to anything.

Unhealed trauma frequently causes anxiety, which in turn affects our blood pressure and cortisol levels. This means our bodies are tense and ready to fight or escape from some unseen threat. We might experience bouts of nausea and begin losing sleep drastically.

Unhealed Trauma and Our Minds

We develop beliefs by how we perceive traumatic events. For example, we might have experienced emotional abandonment in our childhood, leading to a belief that we are not worth people’s time or attention. Unhealed trauma frequently looks like suicidal ideation and intrusive thoughts.

We might know that we are experiencing a traumatic event because we have suddenly become forgetful and have dramatically diminished concentration. Long trauma often makes a person hypervigilant of their surroundings and distrustful of the people in their lives.

What Healing Looks Like

Reading stories in the Bible of how people in need of healing met Jesus and left the encounter with dramatically changed lives is inspiring, but healing from trauma looks a lot different. It’s no less than a miracle to reach a point where we can look back on a chapter without flinching or shame. Healing from trauma involves a lot of looking back on our lives and reframing certain experiences.

The work doesn’t end there, though. We might have to discover what we think of ourselves, of others, and of our future. It takes a lot of honesty and emotional vulnerability, but it is possible to heal from trauma and move on with our lives. Scars are not meant to cause pain, but every scar serves as a reminder of what we have been through. May you begin to find release from pain and hope from your scars.

If you would like to begin confronting trauma in your life, you might want to consider meeting with a counselor. There are qualified, empathetic people ready and willing to help you. All you have to do is contact us at Texas Christian Counseling, Allen. We can help you find the right Christian counselor in Allen, Texas for your needs.