Becoming Trauma-Conscious for a Healthier Outlook on Life

Most everyone experiences some form of trauma in life. It may not be out on the battlefield dodging bullets and bombs, but even the death of someone close to you can sometimes be traumatic.

Recognizing trauma and its effects is beneficial for mental health.

Still, a stigma exists, and talking about trauma and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be problematic.

These diagnostic labels can help understand trauma, but you run a risk on over-identifying with the diagnosis. You risk becoming mired even more in the past. Being overly focused on the label can create even more imbalance than the original traumatic event. Your mental health already has some malfunction, so you need to focus on healing not labels.

What qualifies as trauma?

It can be a difficult issue to get right. Some trauma is easily recognizable, while others may be more subtle. However, the effects can be the same.