Recognize that intense emotional reactions (fear, anger, panic, shutdown) after trauma are internal responses, not solely caused by external events. Focus on learning to manage your own arousal and reactivity rather than blaming others or shutting down, which can lead to distance from self and others.
If you’ve adapted to trauma by shutting down and cutting off feelings, actively seek gentle guidance to open up pathways of self-experience and reconnect with your inner self to facilitate recovery.
Prioritize finding methods to become calm and focused, as this is the foundational first step in treating trauma and recovering from its effects.
Actively work on being present in your life and with the people around you, fostering engagement with the current moment rather than being stuck in past reactions.
Avoid keeping secrets from yourself, as self-honesty is a critical component in the process of trauma recovery and self-experience.
Develop the ability to maintain a state of calm even when confronted with people, events, or situations that trigger past traumatic responses.
After a terrible experience, actively seek out and reconnect with loved ones (partner, spouse, parent, boss) who can offer comfort, acknowledge your reality, and help you feel safe, as a supportive social environment significantly aids in resilience and recovery.
A key goal in healing trauma is to learn to feel safe in your body again, as trauma can lead to persistent physical sensations of distress (gut-wrenching, heartbreak) and a feeling of being intolerable to oneself.
Maintain an open mind and actively explore various body-focused practices beyond yoga, such as Qigong, Tai Chi, musical practices, tango dancing, or acupuncture, to discover what specifically helps you feel alive, at home, safe, and experience pleasure and engagement in your body.
Engage in body-focused practices like yoga, Qigong, or Tai Chi to calm your body and mind, as these can help you reconnect with your bodily sensations, regulate your breath and heart rate, and open new pathways of self-experience, reducing fear and increasing openness.
Explore cultural activities in your environment, such as singing in a choir, practicing martial arts, or attending a yoga studio, to find practices that help your body feel at home, safe, and provide feelings of pleasure and engagement.
When feeling stuck, reflect on past periods when you felt differently, recalling what worked, what relationships supported you, and what gave you a glimmer of hope, to revisit yourself as a survivor and identify personal strengths.
Consider daily health drinks or supplements that support digestion and enrich the gut microbiome, as this can positively impact mood and overall physical and mental well-being, especially during winter.
Sign up for the free “Friday Five” email newsletter at drchatterjee.com/FridayFive for weekly doses of positivity, articles, books, quotes, and research not shared on social media.