Let’s Talk Trauma

Let’s Talk Trauma

Throughout life, every individual person will experience some type of trauma in their circle. The severity of the effects of the trauma are hinged on the individual person’s overall resilience and the traumatic event. Trauma can be described in a series of ways. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines trauma in the following way,

Trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being. (Uhernik, 2017, p. 79)

Trauma can also include a form of indirect exposure, such as, a loved one is exposed to trauma (Friedman, 2015).

While defining trauma may be textbook, the traumatic event and effects itself are more fluid. A traumatic event is an unusually challenging event that overwhelms an individual’s coping skills and has the potential to create significant human suffering (Volkman, 2007). The traumatic event could be a car accident, death of a family member, a divorce, or major medical event. Although, working in a law enforcement career a traumatic event can look different, it could be the death of a co-worker, suicide of a co-worker, significant event involving a child, mass casualty, intense physical altercation with a subject/inmate. Depending on the severity of the event it could bring an individual’s life to a halt and throw them into chaos. However, this is not always the case. The effects of the traumatic event are dependent on the individual and the resources available at the time.

Reread the definition of trauma, and as a law enforcement professional, ask yourself how many times during a tour of duty you could experience that. Now, what are you currently doing to build your resiliency to effectively manage the effects of a traumatic event, both pre and post-traumatic events?

There are many ways you can heal from trauma and build resiliency in your life. Sometimes, it requires a culturally competent therapist. However, there are techniques one can incorporate into thier daily life. Here are some practical suggestions:

Nutrition- maintaining a healthy, nutrient-rich diet has the potential to be an intervention both preventative and supportive (Uhernik, 2017, p. 135).

Healthy Sleep Hygiene- practice essential sleep hygiene habits like going to bed at the same time, waking up at the same time, keeping a quiet, cool, dark bedroom, and using a comfortable mattress and pillow (Buettner, 2012, p.183). Getting adequate sleep helps promote healthy immune system function, decreases the risks of heart attack, and promotes brain health (Buettner, 2012, p.183).

Exercise- can help reduce depression, anxiety, and negative moods while promoting healthy brain function and self-esteem (Uhernik, 2017, p. 141). Exercise increases blood circulation and the overall feeling of well-being. Start by simply walking 10 minutes a day and being mindful of your surroundings and overall well-being.

Obviously, this is not an exhaustive list, but just some practical suggestions. The point is to do something, do not stay stagnant, and in everything you do, do it with purpose.

Colossians 3:17 states, “And in whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”