There are many kinds of trauma you can experience in life. You can experience childhood trauma that colours how you look at the world from that point forward. You might get into a bad car accident, see combat as a soldier, or deal with a natural disaster that destroys all of your material possessions.
Trauma therapy is always available, and there are many facilities that can help you if you’re dealing with the aftereffects of some terrible event. You should keep that in mind if you need it, but you should also know about some of the specific ways that trauma can change the way you look at the world. Sometimes, trauma can bring about dramatic changes in attitude without you even necessarily being aware of them.
You Might Not Trust People Anymore
If someone does something to you that causes you to be traumatized, you may not trust new people when you meet them anymore. Maybe someone assaulted you or took advantage of you in some other way.
If so, then when you meet any new person, even if they seem friendly and harmless, you may think that’s only a ruse. You might always wait for the other shoe to drop, even if the new person is never anything but kind to you. This lack of trust can make it extremely difficult to make friends or to get involved in a new romantic relationship.
You May Always Be on the Lookout for Danger
If you are traumatized at some point, you may also feel that danger is lurking around every corner. You might take a weapon with you everywhere. You may look around constantly to see whether there’s anyone or anything nearby that might turn out to be a threat.
You May Feel Afraid to Leave the House
If what traumatized you happened when you’re out in the world, you may get to the point where you’re scared to even leave the house. This happens more often than you might think.
Of course, the opposite might happen as well. If what traumatized you occurred in your home, like if someone broke in and robbed you, for instance, you may feel anxious when you’re in your house.
Whenever you’re at home, you may never be able to relax fully. You might install an expensive security camera, get a dog, or do something similar.
You Might Regard Innocence as Fleeting
You may also start to feel that innocence is fleeting and that it’s only a matter of time till everyone else in the world is traumatized, just as you were. Your experience can make you cynical. You may feel that beneath a thin veneer of happiness, tragedy is always waiting to strike.
It can be very hard to get away from these mindsets. If you’ve gotten to one of the points that we’ve described, you may need therapy. Sometimes, that’s the only way to reach a mental space where you can enjoy your life again.
