Ever been in a minor car wreck, burned or cut yourself while cooking or accidentally injured yourself while doing yard work? If you have ever experienced minor traumas such as these you know that the experience and memories of it can conjure powerful emotions and physical sensations even long after the incident has transpired.
Trauma can be minor or major. Some major types of trauma include surviving emotional, physical or sexual abuse or living through a natural disaster such as a fire, flood or hurricane. However, there is another type of trauma only being talked about in more recent years and that is trauma related to chronic pain, chronic illness and medical interventions.
When I was a child, I hated getting vaccines. I grew up in a small town and my mother tells me that every time we drove past the red brick doctor’s office building I would burst into tears. I associated the building with pain. Now as a therapist I know that seeing that office was a “trigger” for me. It reminded me of pain and suffering.
The same can be true for those dealing with chronic illness or pain. Having to undergo things such as testing, blood draws and other painful medical procedures evokes intense emotions in most people. Moreover, if you have had negative experiences such as being rushed to the emergency room in intense pain, having doctors treat you rudely or experiencing complications due to medical issues, you may have trauma-like symptoms. For example, seeing certain things or going to certain offices may cause you to feel sad, angry, scared or nervous. You may also find yourself reliving your experiences or feeling stuck. Trauma is tangible. The good news is that we can help.
Whether you are interested in individual or group counseling, or would like to visit our pain support group, we can help. Contact us here.
