COVID-19 challenges triggers for trauma & the self-care required

More than any season in modern history, this present COVID-19 outbreak heralds the need of self-care for triggering outbound of trauma.  This is not usually related to the traumas of COVID-19 itself, but more especially for factors indirectly related to this unprecedented time as they come to heighten the trauma we already bear.

We are in a heightened state of awareness, and where there are triggers for trauma, those triggers are aroused often in unusual and confusing patterns, because of this COVID-19 time.

Many, many people are having to re-map the existing terrain for known triggers for trauma, and this is especially taxing.

Not everyone is impacted directly by COVID-19 as far as medical impacts are concerned, but there are not many people who aren’t concerned about catching it.  Everyone is impacted in terms of the economic stress, and everyone is socially impacted.  Then there are the myriad social media factors that inevitably cause us concern, whether these are conspiracy theories — depending on what side of the fence you’re on — or related to governmental policy deployment, and whether you agree or not with the commentary. 

We only need to raise stress levels one quotient — let alone all of them — and we end up stressed and closer to compromised mental health outcomes than ever.

For those who have already been impacted by trauma — and there are more of those than not — there is a re-doubling of risk for triggering and ultimately there is more of a challenge to our self-care than at any other time in history.

These are some of the common triggers that may have been freshened up at this time:

·                   triggers for betrayal are piqued at the moment, especially where employment has been affected – reminding us of abandonment issues and the like

·                   wherever the threat of death isn’t too far away, whether our own or a loved one we are concerned about, triggers for fear are closer to the surface than ever – reminding us of existential issues and the like

·                   social factors have been turned upside down, seemingly in a matter of weeks, and this severely disrupts the social dynamics with which we all rely on – reminding us of connection issues and the like

·                   the general sense of uncertainty, threat and ever-present danger is palpable, and we are reminded every time we go out how hypervigilant we have become in such a short space of time – reminding us of survival issues and the like

·                   if we haven’t yet been impacted financially, the threat of same hangs over heads – reminding us of security issues and the like

·                   many people are literally facing burn out, and the above factors very much contribute – reminding us of sustainability issues and the like

·                   finally, there is the irrepressible reality that life may never return to normality again, and that we all face a new normal in the future and that we must adjust to this when it comes – reminding us of identity issues and the like

All this highlights the massive need of self-care.  Thankfully this has become a real focus point in the recent past.  The more we engage with the essential care of ourselves, the more we are able to care for others.  And though it has the word “self” in it, self-care ultimately becomes one of the most selfless things we can do.

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We all need helpers; persons who we trust and who know us, and just as importantly who know our triggers, and who can help us identify the steps we need to take to find our way back to the safe land within ourselves.

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The healthy person isn’t the one who doesn’t have trauma in their past.  You can be triggered for your trauma and still be a healthy person, because it depends more on your approach to self-care than on the trauma you bear.

Indeed, I would argue that someone who has trauma in their past, and manages their triggers effectively, generally has more of an idea of and is better motivated around self-care.

And I still think the vast majority of us actually have trauma in our pasts, and where we are unaware, we can be unknowingly triggered; so, it is a huge advantage to be aware of the circumstances and manifestation of the triggers we experience.

Bear in mind that those who are most desperate to provide care for others may not actually be great practitioners of self-care.  This is a truth that all helping professionals will be facing all the more right now.

It is a good time right now to be maximising the opportunities around self-care, especially where we have multiple helping roles (professionally, family, others).  This is simply acknowledging our pre-existing challenges that are brought more sharply into view through this COVID-19 crisis.

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash