Have you ever faced a problem that was too big for you to handle alone? Did you get help from other people? Overcoming trauma is no different. When trauma has been experienced, a safe support network is one of the main things needed to heal.
While it is certainly possible that you can limp along under the weight of your trauma and handle your problems alone, having a team of friends, family, other trauma survivors, and a mental health therapist can really make a world of difference in your life. Even if you have to piece your support system together with safe people one person at a time, it will prove to be invaluable on your healing journey.
Here are three reasons why a strong support system is a critical part of overcoming trauma:
Reason 1: Positive Influence
A strong support system is a network of people who can be positively influence you, encourage you, and empathize with you. Perhaps, it may even provide you with helpful tips from people who have similar traumatic experiences and come out on the other side of it even stronger. Instead of having to handle your negative thoughts and feelings alone, stewing in your stress and anxieties, support systems give you a positive outlet where you can express, process, and overcome your trauma.
Reason 2: Reducing Stress
Stress is a heavy burden to carry, especially when it is tied to your personal trauma. Finding a therapeutic group for support may seem intimidating. After all, it can be hard to open up about deep wounds with strangers, but finding that others understand what you are experiencing can help your stress level to lessen because you are no longer suffering alone. Support groups also buoy you up with an environment of practically tangible care.
Reason 3: Emotional Support
Emotions are the lifeblood of being human. Unfortunately, trauma tends to affect one's regulation of emotions, possibly leading to feelings being bottled up inside or worn on one’s sleeve. However, neither of these approaches is inherently bad. There are proper times to guard one's emotions from others, and there are proper times to let people in and let all your feelings out. A good support system will provide emotional understanding and comfort, a place where you can feel safe, whether you're pouring your heart out about your trauma or keeping more sensitive matters to yourself. Their primary goal, regardless, is to help and support you in any way that you need.
Starting a Support System
You might be asking yourself, "How do I even get into a support system like this?"
Forming a support system might look like networking with a group of friends, mentors, and family members in your life. This network could be through in-person meetings, phone calls, or online gatherings. However, there is a condition to this. For a support group or system to be truly effective, it must be comprised of trustworthy and kind-hearted people. It can also be useful to join new groups that may fit this description, such as a church group or a therapy group.
If you would like assistance in finding the right people for your support system, or for general help handling your trauma, Omaha Trauma Therapy specializes in combating the lasting effects of trauma through a variety of practices.
If you are suffering from the effects of past trauma, such as stress, depression, and anxiety, Omaha Trauma Therapy is here to help! EMDR and Brainspotting therapy techniques are our specialty. We want to provide you with a holistic approach to overcome your trauma.