When we think of trauma, we usually think of the most obvious of traumatic events like those that are related to assault, war, accidents, or natural disasters. These experiences are undoubtedly difficult to cope with and often do lead to serious issues with trauma, yet there are many other more subtle life events that people don’t recognize as traumatic at all. These can include the death of a loved one, an infidelity, or past neglect.
These types of trauma can impact how you deal with your relationships later in life. They can impact how you react to various situations and people. They can also lead to issues with addictions or problems with depression and anxiety.
The first, most difficult thing task is to identify these traumas for what they are. This usually is best accomplished with the help of a therapist. Because there is no blatant traumatic reaction, this can be quite difficult to do. Drawing these lines from where you currently are to the past is very difficult without someone who is trained to recognize these things. This is largely because many of the signs and symptoms that can be representative of a trauma of this type can also be related to other issues.
Some signs that you could be dealing with a Little “t” Trauma can include:
- A lack of comfort with intimacy.
- Low frustration tolerance of others.
- Alcohol or drug abuse.
- Problems setting boundaries with work and relationships.
- Compulsive sex
- Feeling alone
- Serious issues with shame.
- Lacking trust in others.
Again, experiencing these things alone does not necessarily mean that you are dealing with trauma. However, accepting that you’re destined to experience all of these things and to never find contentment is not the answer either. Find a therapist who can help you work with such problems, and who can help you uncover possible traumatic origins that have gone unidentified for so long, so that you can move on with your life.
