Trauma looks different for everyone. What people endure, how they respond to it, and how it shapes their life varies from one individual to the next. Equally as different is the course of recovery for each person. Some people are able to find complete and total resolve in their lives, making peace with their traumatic past. Others can recover in many areas of their lives and find acceptance when it comes to their trauma, but never fully let go of what has happened to them.
Trauma is complex, complicated, and painful. Having to face traumatizing memories or re-traumatizing experiences is a part of therapy in trauma treatment. Clinicians are specially skilled and trained in the careful care of trauma. Still, the prospect of having to relive, process, and make sense of trauma can be so intimidating that people stay away from treatment. Instead, they might fall into patterns of addiction, mental health related issues, or self-harm.
Going back to the past is challenging during treatment. Outside of treatment, the challenge of living with trauma, even after treatment well into recovery, can be a challenge. Environmental, social, and emotional triggers can bring trauma to the forefront. In treatment, clients learn how to manage when their triggers and symptoms of trauma, or PTSD, come to the surface. Some triggers can be overwhelming, like returning to a point of trauma.
Trauma happens in a place, like a home, a work environment, a school, or a store. Trauma can also be associated with a wider space like a town, a county, a province, or even an entire state. Geographic recall is common for those living in recovery from trauma. While some recover to a point of being able to handle going back to a point of trauma, others may never feel safe doing so. Returning to a point of trauma can be extremely healing and a critical part of the recovery journey for certain individuals. For others, returning to a point of trauma may be endangering to recovery.
Determining whether or not it is safe for you to return to a point of trauma should be done with your professional therapist who specializes in trauma, in addition to the rest of your treatment team. Your life can be lived in safe and full way when you learn how to live in recovery from trauma. For information, call us today: 1-855-483-7800