What are the dangers/risks of untreated trauma?

While impacts from traumatic experiences are invisible, they are very real; leaving a profound and potentially life-altering impact. Whether it’s a natural disaster, personal loss, abuse, or accidents, the impact of trauma on one’s life can scar a person. Unfortunately, some people refuse to get the needed help, thinking it would go away on its own. While some people can process their traumatic experiences and find healing, many get stuck and lost, allowing past experiences to stay as a thorn in their lives. This can be detrimental to their current lives without them realizing it. There are various reasons for this, such as the stigma surrounding mental health, fear of judgment, or a belief that they should be able to cope independently. It’s essential to understand the potential dangers of leaving trauma untreated, both in the short term and in the long term.

Short-Term Risks

The short-term dangers of untreated trauma are a direct result of the body and mind’s immediate reaction to the traumatic event. When a person experiences trauma, their nervous system goes into overdrive, flooding the body with stress hormones. This biological response is designed to help us respond to immediate threats and make us avoid the source of the experience. However, in the context of trauma, it can lead to a range of distressing symptoms. The emotional toll can be exhausting, leading to a range of various obstacles in life:

Immediate Distress: One of the primary short-term dangers of untreated trauma is the persistence of overwhelming emotional stress. Trauma can trigger intense emotions, flashbacks, nightmares, and panic attacks. This can quickly take a toll at a person’s mental wellbeing for a period of time directly after the traumatic experience.

Physical Health Impact: Trauma often manifests physically, resulting in symptoms like headaches, digestive issues, and sleep disturbances. Untreated trauma can exacerbate these physical health impacts, leading to prolonged discomfort and potential long-term health issues, such as high blood pressure, increased risk of heart disease, or even stress-related skin conditions.

Damaging Relationships: It is no secret that trauma can strain relationships with people around them. They may emotionally distance themselves, become more easily irritated, and have communication issues. trauma victims can often struggle to connect with their loved ones. At the same time, those around the individual may be lost on how they can help/support the person if they’re not properly equipped. For example, a survivor of abuse trauma may find it difficult to discuss their experiences with family members or future partners, leading to misunderstandings and sense of isolation.

Long-Term Risks

There are also potential long-term risks that come with unresolved trauma. If not properly processed, trauma can have lasting negative impact on the brain, emotional regulation, and the way individuals perceive and interact with the world. The traumatic experience may alter the way a person thinks about life, people around them, and themselves. This may lead to continuous emotional dysregulation, hypervigilance, and a heightened stress response. These changes can also contribute to other chronic mental health conditions that are difficult to treat. Additionally, untreated trauma often leads to avoidance of distressing memories or situations, which makes treating trauma more difficult than if it was recent. Here are some of the potential long-term risks associated with untreated trauma.

Chronic Mental Health Issues: The long-term dangers of untreated trauma are particularly concerning. Many trauma survivors develop chronic mental health issues, including depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can be more complicated to treat due to their intertwining nature with past trauma.

Substance Abuse and Addictions: Some individuals unfortunately turn to substances like alcohol or drugs as a way to cope with persisting thoughts, leading to substance abuse and potential addiction issues that further complicate their recovery. Addictions as a form of coping mechanisms can come in many forms, including unhealthy dose/obsession with video games, pornography, or binge eating.

Physical Health Complications: Long-term exposure to the stress hormones associated with untreated trauma can contribute to physical health complications, such as increased susceptibility to autoimmune disorders, chronic pain conditions, or gastrointestinal problems. It’s not uncommon for individuals struggling with mental health issues to also experience physical symptoms that may manifest in physical ailments.

Detachment and Withdrawal: Untreated trauma can result in dissociation or detachment, where individuals detach from their emotions or even their sense of self as a way to cope. This can lead to a sense of emptiness, where they emotionally detach from the world. As coping mechanism, they may avoid pain at all costs, to the point of numbing themselves in order to not feel anything rather than feeling pain. It can lead to isolation and withdrawal from social activities. Individuals may struggle to engage with their community and withdraw from family and friends, adding to their feelings of loneliness and alienation.

Impact on Social and Professional Life: The consequences of untreated trauma is not limited to their inner mind. Trauma can be detrimental to the person’s both social and work life. Their lack of focus can impact their performance at work or even strain their romantic relationships. Trauma almost never affect only a single individual.

Unfortunately, many people dismiss unresolved trauma and avoid seeking help. They might hesitate to seek help for trauma due to various reasons. Some people may also not recognize the extent of their trauma’s impact or may have limited access to mental health resources. Overcoming these barriers is essential to preventing the risks of further complications that come with untreated trauma.

Remember that it’s never too late to seek help for trauma. Even if you’ve lived with its consequences for years and feel like recovery is impossible, the door to recovery remains open. The first step to healing is understanding that recovery is possible. The next step would be to take action, whether it means reaching out to mental health professionals, or getting self-help resources and working through trauma together with loved ones. Remember there are people who cares about you and there are tools available to help reclaim your well-being and find peace with your past trauma.