Trauma & Triggers
What is Trauma
Trauma is any distressing or upsetting event that causes the body and brain to be stuck in "danger" and "protective" mode that negatively impacts a person.
Trauma can be experienced by anyone
What does retraumatize mean?
When a person re-experiences the trauma that happens to them. This is when the trauma plays over in your mind. It can also be when memories of the event comes back. This causes your body to react as if the abuse is happening all over again.
Examples:
Bad dreams
Thoughts of the event
Flashbacks
Name 4 Reactions People Can Have
Anger
Sweating
Fast Heart Beat
Nausea
Sadness
Fear
Why do people avoid
To manage the pain. It helps them avoid and not have to deal with strong and hard thoughts and emotions.
What does it mean to be back under control
Feeling relief, calm, safe, and at ease. The feeling of being okay or no longer feeling out of control.
What are the 4 responses our mind/body can have?
Hint: The acronym is FAFF
Freeze
Appease
Flight
Fight
Name 4 examples of what retraumatize looks like?
Hint: This is when you experience meories of the trauma unexpectedly or the memories paly over in your mind
Nightmares
Flashbacks
Thoughts of the event
Intrusive memories
How can people blame themselves for the trauma? Whos fault is it?
They Believe it is their fault or they believe they did something wrong. The abuser told them or the people around them made them feel like it.
It is the abuser's fault
True or False
Avoiding Makes Things Worse
True
What helps you be calm, have relief, and feel safe after being triggered and retraumatized?
Any answer is good that involves coping, grounding skills, and or mindfulness.
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How can people get better after a traumatic event?
Name 3 Ways
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Therapy
Coping Skills, Grounding Skills
Talking about it
Journaling
Why does Retraumatize come after Triggers
It comes after triggers because the trigger is what causes the body to react as if the abuse is happening all over again. This makes it like you are experiencing it over and over and over again.
How can we help people stop blaming themselves?
Learning about trauma and learning about abusers. Learning that abusers uses special techniques to make the person feel bad.
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How else can people avoid the trauma besides not thinking about it or talking about it?
Not go to certain places, not hang around certain people, and not be in similar situations that remind them of what happened. They may also shut down their feelings.
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When should someone use 5,4,3,2,1, deep breathing, counting, muscle relaxation, affirmaitons, and safety items?
When you are experiencing a trigger or being retraumatized by a memory, flashback, nightmare, or thought OR when you are feeling negative emotions or thoughts.
What is a Trigger?
Name 5 Triggers
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Any item that reminds you of the event is a trigger. A trigger is anything you see, smell, touch, taste, here, or event that reminds you of the trauma.
It can be dates, specific genders, loud noises, unexpected touches, glass breaking, specific textures, etc.
More Examples:
Hearing Glass Break
Seeing a red hat
Smelling Bacon
Christmas Day
What is the difference between being retraumatized and having triggers?
Triggers are reminders of the abuse and trauma.
Retraumatize is when the body reacts to the reminders and makes the body and mind re live the abuse again.
Name 4 ways
...
What can help people stop avoiding
Help them learn how to manage hard emotions and thoughts through coping skills and grounding skills.
What do you do if one of the ways you help yourself get back under control does not work?
Do all coping skills work every time?
Use a different skill. Its important to practice the skills and to believe in them in order for them to really work. Not all coping skills work every time. That is why its important to have many different skills in your toolbox.
Johnny was physically abused by his mother. He would be beaten with a frying pan. What could be Johnny's Trigger?
Frying Pan
Loud Noises
How do you reexperience the trauma/abuse that you went through?
....
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Why does our body and mind have the automatic stress response system?
Can we control it?
to give us warning that something is wrong and to protect us from danger. We cannot control it. They brain does it quickly and automatically without us thinking or having time to choose.
Tell a real or imaginary story of someone avoiding trauma
....
Tell a Real or Imaginary Story of Someone Helping Themselves become Back Under Control.
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