Normal Reactions to Trauma that Feel Abnormal

Many trauma survivors report feeling confused, afraid or worried about the symptoms they are experiencing and they often feel like they’re the only ones who have symptoms like these.

However, trauma symptoms are normal and common, even if you feel like something must be wrong with you. These symptoms are a normal reaction to experiencing an abnormal situation.

Here is a list of common and normal reactions to trauma:

•  Feeling anxious or afraid

• Experiencing hypervigilance (or being hyper-aware of everything around you) and having an exaggerated startle response

• Feeling angry and out of control

• Experiencing weepiness or feeling overly emotional

• Experiencing emotional numbness and struggling to feel anything at all

• Feeling shut down or like you’re no longer present

• Flashbacks and nightmares

• Thinking you are to blame, feeling guilt and feeling shame

• Trying to avoid thinking about what happened to you (keeping overly busy, isolating yourself from others, not talking about it and/or using substances to escape)

Everyone experiences different reactions after trauma – you might experience some or all of these symptoms and that’s ok! Even though you might feel like something is wrong with you, these symptoms are normal. It’s important to find support from a qualified professional who is trauma-informed. Healing from trauma is often a long journey, with lots of back and forth, but it is a journey that can help you find some relief from these trauma symptoms and help you feel closer to yourself.