I hope that wherever you are, you know Recovery is with you.
Our entire country is commemorating the events of September 11, 2001. Twenty-five years have passed since this tragic event rocked the foundation of our country. Many families, friends, first responders, and service workers who responded to the attacks were exposed to trauma. I imagine that some people are still affected by those events today.
During this past week, the topic of trauma has come up in conversations I have had with people and groups. This allows us to review what trauma is and how we can heal from it.
There are two types of trauma I would like to discuss: Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
CPTSD can develop from repeated or long-term trauma, often involving relationships with other people. Examples include childhood abuse, domestic violence, bullying, and ongoing neglect by a caregiver. This type of trauma can affect how we see ourselves, other people, and the world around us.
Some common symptoms include deep shame and guilt, difficulty managing emotions, a negative view of ourselves, problems with relationships, dissociation, and feeling empty or hopeless inside. CPTSD often develops over many years.
Healing from CPTSD can include rebuilding a sense of safety, learning to regulate our nervous system, developing safe and healthy relationships, and healing wounds from our early years. Therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) can also be helpful.
PTSD can develop after a single traumatic event or a shorter period of trauma. Examples include a car accident, natural disaster, sexual assault, combat, or a serious medical experience. The event may leave us feeling overwhelmed by fear, horror, or helplessness.
Symptoms can include unwanted memories, flashbacks, avoiding reminders of the event, mood changes, being constantly alert for danger, sleep problems, and feeling emotionally numb. Healing often involves processing what happened, reducing fear responses, and slowly restoring a sense of safety.
My experience with CPTSD came from childhood abuse that continued for several years into early adulthood. My main symptoms were dissociation, feeling empty and hopeless, and living in a constant state of shame and guilt.
My healing has continued for more than twelve years. Two important reasons, I believe, are that I am healing.
First, I participated in EMDR therapy for three years and continue to practice what I learned. Second, I have built relationships with people I feel safe with. They are nonjudgmental and available when I need to talk. These safe relationships have become an important part of my healing.
I also experienced PTSD in 1991 after an automobile accident. I was sitting at a stoplight when another person hit my car from behind. My symptoms included flashbacks and hypervigilance. They lasted for about five years.
Part of my healing involved processing what happened and reducing my fear of being hit from behind again. Whenever I came to a stoplight or stop sign, I would immediately look in my rearview mirror. I would stiffen my entire body because I was afraid another car would hit me.
Over time, my nervous system learned that I was safe.
One of the most important things I have learned about trauma is this: We are not broken because of what happened to us. We adapted to survive.
Our bodies and minds were doing the best they could to protect us.
With the right support, patience, and care, our nervous systems can learn a new way of responding. Healing may take time, but healing is possible.
As survivors, many of us are already healing in ways we may not even recognize. Take a moment today to honor yourself. Celebrate the strength it took to survive. Take healthy pride in the person you are becoming.
God does not waste our pain. Through Recovery, loving relationships, good support, and spiritual growth, God can bring new life from the places that once hurt the most.
Stay with your Recovery. Be gentle with yourself. Keep reaching toward safe people and healthy support.
You are not broken. You are healing. And with God’s grace and continued Recovery, you can thrive.
Remember, Recovery is happening right now, in this moment.