Trauma can turn our world upside down, leaving scars that are not always visible. Whether it's a car accident, the loss of a loved one, or a natural disaster,
serious trauma can deeply affect our mental health. Coping with such events is crucial not only for our immediate well-being but also for our long-term recovery.
In this post, we'll explore six psychological tips to help you deal with the aftermath of a traumatic event. By integrating these strategies into your life, you can begin to heal and find a path forward. Keep on reading to learn more!
Understanding Trauma
What Is Trauma?
Trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or series of events. These events can overwhelm an individual's ability to cope, leading to feelings of
helplessness, disorientation, and intense fear. Trauma is not limited to physical injuries; it can deeply affect emotional and mental health.
How Trauma Affects the Brain
When we experience trauma, our brain goes into survival mode. The amygdala, responsible for detecting threats, becomes overactive. Meanwhile, the prefrontal cortex,
which helps with rational thinking, can become underactive. This imbalance can lead to heightened anxiety, flashbacks, and difficulty concentrating.
Despite being more connected than ever, the majority of Europeans are experiencing feelings of loneliness. The STADA Health Report 2024, released on Monday,
revealed that over half (52 per cent) of Europeans "always, often or occasionally" feel lonely.
Although the younger generation reports the highest levels of overall happiness, they are the ones most affected by this current loneliness epidemic.
Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) of Europeans aged 18 to 35 reported feeling lonely, compared to 41 percent of those aged 55 and older - according to the report,
based on a survey of over 46,000 respondents aged 18 to 99 across 32 countries.
Extensive screen time is contributing to increased loneliness among younger people. Europeans under the age of 34 are much more likely to spend long hours on
their devices (41 per cent) than those aged 35-54 (22 per cent) and those over 55 (13 per cent).
The survey found that people who spend a "long" or "fair" amount of time on social media were significantly more prone to feelings of loneliness compared to
those who restrict their screen time. Moreover, extensive screen time was also associated with more intense feelings of loneliness.
The Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) has welcomed the Health Secretary Sajid Javid's plan to appoint Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) tsar to tackle the medicine shortages.
On Sunday (April 24) Sajid Javid told the Mail that he planned to tackle the problem (shortage of HRT medicine) by appointing a new HRT tsar with the role modelled on that of Kate Bingham, who successfully led the government's Covid vaccine taskforce.
"The difficulties in accessing HRT medicine have unfairly impacted women's mental health," said RPS President, Professor Claire Anderson.
"I look forward to working with this new champion for HRT and the Government on how we can better support women's health, building on the positive move to reduce
prescription charges for HRT for women."
Anderson also stressed that "the Government should now go further and end unfair prescription charges for patients in England altogether."