Part 2.

“I Can’t Slow Down/ I Don’t Do Anything” – part 2.

In my previous post I described the kind of trauma reaction that involves being upset and agitated. The other common trauma reaction is to shut down. This condition is a lot like depression, but it is really an attempt to avoid reminders of the trauma. People try to avoid feelings that remind them of the trauma by numbing their emotions. Their attempt to avoid sensations that are reminders may take the form of becoming physically less sensitive to all sensations and avoiding activities that put them into contact with strong sensations.

People can change their behavior so that they spend less time with other people and less time engaging in challenging activities. They withdraw in an effort to avoid lots of things. Not opening the mail (or e-mail), leaving home only for essential activities, and cutting back on talking to friends or family are common results. Decreasing their participation in hobbies, interests, and exercise can also occur.

For people who are doing a lot of avoiding, engaging in therapy may be a really big challenge. Sometimes the last thing they want to do is go and talk to someone about the things they have been seriously avoiding. If you know someone who is struggling with this kind of avoidance you know that they will respond better to support and encouragement than the stress of confrontation. Encouraging them to gradually resume their participation in life may help. Letting them know that there are professionals out there who understand that they need support and reassurance in working with trauma issues and that there is a helpful treatment for their problem can help them to get back on the path of taking an active role in their own lives.

Bill Bonacker