First responders (police officers, firefighters, and emergency medical services) are those in the community on the front lines. They often render life-saving medical services, stop threats in the community, or rescue those in dire situations. The Institutes of Health indicate that about 80% of first responders will experience a traumatic event in their career. This blog post explores how trauma impacts the body and how an online trauma therapist near Milwaukee, WI can help you heal.
What Causes Internal Pain?
First responders are exposed to unpredictable events in their communities. At times, these events take horrific turns, which may lead to loss of life, severe injury, or lasting disabilities. When people are exposed to these events, especially repeatedly, the body and mind try to find ways to cope. Some coping mechanisms may include:
Detachment from emotions – this could be compartmentalization, numbness, or learning to tune emotions out.
Seeking out high-risk situations – some people seek these circumstances out as this is the only way to feel emotions or excitement in their lives.
Alcohol or substance use – these can act to create numbness or avoid painful emotions.
Increased level of exercise – this can help avoid difficult internal experiences.
Never being able to rest – having a need to always be busy may be a sign of avoidance or escape.
The important part to note here is that the above bullet points work, at least in the short term. However, in the long term, they can create more difficulties and challenges down the road. The difficulties may be within your marriage, self-esteem, inability to emotionally connect with your children, or even lead to job loss.
When the body experiences a single or repeated traumatic experience, the brain can experience changes. These changes include faster reactivity to real or perceived threats and decreased ability to rationally think through difficult situations.
Additionally, traumatic events can dysregulate one’s nervous system. This can lead to changes in mood, fatigue, and internal restlessness or uneasiness. If the nervous system is not regulated, it can also create chronic health issues down the road. Thus, establishing nervous system regulation is crucial when working to heal trauma.
Lastly, if trauma is not healed and meets specific criteria, it can lead to Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). First responders with PTSD may exhibit different symptoms depending on their age, gender, exposure to traumatic experiences, and childhood upbringing. However, if PTSD is not treated it can ruin your sense of internal and external safety, friendships, and romantic relationships, create mood problems, and disrupt sleep patterns. Â Healing from PTSD can be accomplished by finding a trauma therapist near you who has the training and experience needed to support you in the trauma recovery process.
How Can a Trauma Therapist Help Me Heal?
A trauma therapist can help you heal in a variety of ways. Through trauma therapy, you’ll be able to experience an internal calm that may have felt lost. You won’t have to go through life looking over your shoulder as you’ll feel confident in your ability to respond should a threat arise. Your sleep will be restful and rejuvenating instead of nightmares. Instead of having intrusive, rapid thoughts, you’ll be able to intentionally think through and stay present when around those you care most about. Finally, the relationships between yourself and others in your life will improve and flourish.
At Revitalize Mental Health PLLC, I offer both in-person and virtual therapy services. However, online trauma therapy is just as effective as in-person therapy. Online individual therapy may be more convenient as there is no commute time or traffic issues. But it comes down to your personal preference.
If you are interested in starting online trauma treatment, there are two ways we can connect. First, you can call 720.295.670. Secondly, you can submit an online form by following this link. We’ll then set up a free 15-minute consultation call to ensure we are a good fit to work together. If so, we’ll schedule our first appointment on that call.
