TRAUMA

Trauma is the impact on a person of an event that can leave lasting effects on our mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, and sexual wellbeing.

Trauma can stem from singular events such as a car accident, physical or sexual assault, the loss of a loved one, or a severe illness or injury.

Complex trauma can stem from ongoing or multiple traumas including neglect, repeated sexual abuse, domestic abuse, or intergenerational trauma.

Symptoms can include:

• Intrusive memories, flashbacks, and nightmares

• Becoming emotionally upset, experiencing a racing heart, or feeling tense, shaky, or sweaty when reminded of the event

• Hypervigilance, feeling on edge, difficulty concentrating, becoming easily upset or angry, difficulty sleeping

• Avoidance of thoughts, emotions, people, or places linked to the trauma

• A negative sense of self including deep rooted shame and worthlessness

• A negative view of the world and/or people

• Difficulty forming and maintaining healthy relationships

ANXIETY

Anxiety is an excessive fear or worry that can have a significant impact on our day to day lives. We may find ourselves worrying about everyday tasks, our health, finances, social situations, relationships, or how others perceive us.

This might look like persistent worry, overthinking and imagining worst case scenarios, difficulty tolerating uncertainty, fear of making the wrong decision, ruminating on past decisions, and feeling unable to rest or relax.

Symptoms can include:

• Feeling on edge, experiencing a racing heart, panic attacks

• Achy or tense muscles, digestive issues such IBS, skin flare ups

• Difficulty falling or staying asleep

• Becoming easily fatigued

• Heightened sensitivities to light, sound, and/or touch

• Withdrawing socially, over cleaning, over exercising, being unable to sit still and rest

• Racing thoughts

DEPRESSION

Depression can develop following life events such as trauma, the loss of a loved one, job changes, financial difficulties, isolation, and loneliness. It may also be connected to a family history of depression, or chemical imbalances in the brain.

Everyday tasks can seem difficult and we can struggle to find the motivation to do the things that normally bring us joy such as our hobbies, seeing friends and family, or going to work. Our self care can also decline and we can find it difficult to get out of bed, shower, brush our teeth, or prepare meals.

Symptoms can include:

• Deep feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or helplessness

• Low energy and chronic fatigue

• Difficulty getting going in the morning

• Sleeping for long periods of time and still feeling exhausted

• Achy or tense muscles

• Loss of interest in the things you used to enjoy

GRIEF AND LOSS

Bereavement is the loss of someone or something in our lives, or a change that we are struggling to adjust to. Grief is our natural response to that loss and includes a range of emotions, physical reactions, sensations, and memories.

We can experience grief when a loved one or a pet dies, the ending of a relationship, a job loss, a change in our health or mobility, or an identity change within ourselves of who we used to be and who we are becoming, for example, aging or becoming a parent.

Grief is unique and not a one size fits all experience, we all grieve differently and over different things. Common myths around grief include how it should look, the length of time it takes to grieve, needing to be strong, or feeling as though we are burdening others with our pain.