Trauma is something that can leave a lasting impact on a person. It doesn’t matter if it’s childhood trauma that stems from growing up neglected or abused or being part of a traumatic event such as participating in war or being the victim of a crime.
Whatever the underlying reason behind the trauma, it can leave a person with lasting psychological scars. Some people can develop post-traumatic stress disorder or other disorders as a result of their trauma.
These are scars that can be healed, and there are times when it is possible to heal from trauma without therapy. For some people, doing so may be necessary because of how complex trauma and the different needs of people can be.
How to Heal from Trauma without Therapy
While many mental health professionals would recommend going to therapy, it is possible to go through the healing process without therapeutic intervention. Some of the ways to recover from traumatic experiences without therapy include:
Acknowledge the Event
A lot of people who experience trauma may find themselves suppressing it. They may try to deny that something happened to them, or they may try to downplay its emotional impact.
However, being able to acknowledge what happened and its impact is often the first step towards trauma recovery, regardless of whether or not a person wants to undergo therapy.
Get Back Into Your Routine
Another way to heal is to get back into a daily routine. This can be a lot harder than it sounds because some people may become anxious and paranoid, so the instinct will be to stay home where they feel they are safe. But reestablishing a daily routine can help give someone a sense of normalcy.
Surround Yourself With Supportive People
One of the best ways to recover without therapy is to build a strong support network. This can include surrounding yourself with family and friends or joining a support group.
Learn Your Trauma Triggers
One of the best ways to help recover from trauma is to learn your triggers. Being able to learn what triggers you can help you avoid them. Learning your triggers can also help you develop coping strategies.
Holistic Practices
Holistic practices, such as yoga, massage therapy, or meditation, can help a person heal trauma without traditional therapy. These holistic practices can encourage spiritual growth as well as comprehensive recovery.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness can help people experience a moment without judgement. For example, being grounded in the present moment can help when triggers flare up. One technique is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique. This involves identifying five things you can see, four things you can feel, three things you can hear, two things you can smell, and one thing you can taste. This helps ground a person in the moment and can help when they become emotionally overwhelmed.
Avoid Substance Misuse
Trauma can often drive a person to drug and alcohol use as a means of coping. However, this can often lead to substance addiction, which can be distressing in its own right. As such, it’s best to avoid substance misuse.
Consider Medication
While it is best to avoid using substances to cope, there are instances wherein medication may be prescribed. Antidepressants can be used to help people cope with their trauma, provided it’s used under the supervision of a medical professional to avoid misuse and addiction.
Indulge in Self-Care
Self-compassion can be essential for recovery. As such, it can be helpful to indulge in self-care activities. This can be going for a nice dinner, going for a massage or a facial, or exercising. Whatever the activity, as long as it makes you feel good and doesn’t hurt you or anyone else, then do it.
Be Creative
Another thing that can help with recovery is to find a creative outlet. This can be something like painting, sculpting, interpretive dance, and it can even be something as simple as journaling.
Don’t Rush the Process
Something to remember about recovery is that it can be a slow process, especially without therapy. It can take months or even years before a person finds healthy responses to trauma. Recovery is not linear; you may experience setbacks, which are all part of the recovery process.
Benefits of Healing Trauma
Recovering from trauma can have numerous benefits. One is that a person can find that their relationships may improve significantly. This can often be because recovering from trauma can increase a person’s self-esteem and confidence.
It can also help improve a person’s physical and mental health. Many people who are traumatised can often have poor sleep quality, and recovering can improve how well they sleep.
Trauma can also be an emotional weight that drags a person down. But recovering from it can lift that weight off a person’s shoulders and allow them to experience their emotions without trauma holding them back. This can help them connect with others and form meaningful relationships.
Trauma can also be stressful, and chronic stress can lead to a variety of physical health disorders. Being able to recover can decrease a person’s risk of developing these disorders.
When to Seek Professional Help
While recovering from trauma without therapy is possible, there are times when a person should seek out the help of a mental health professional. Sometimes, trauma can put a person in an acute crisis and make them a danger to themselves or others.
Some people may also develop suicidal ideation as a result of their traumatic experiences. Getting professional help can be especially vital if a person has a co-occurring disorder, such as a substance use disorder or a process addiction. While seeking help is a personal choice, therapy is often necessary for addiction recovery or when a person can no longer manage the symptoms that they are dealing with.
Your Healing Journey Can Begin With Us
There are ways to recover from trauma without therapy, but the process can be a lot smoother with professional help. It can be a difficult decision, but being in a safe and secure location under the supervision of people who have your best interests in mind can help start a recovery journey. At Orchid, we help people resolve their trauma in a beautiful facility in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Contact us to learn more.
