COMMON FEELINGS
Feeling physically shut down.
You don’t feel bodily sensations like you used to (you might even have trouble differentiating between pleasure and pain).
Having trouble concentrating
the people in your life, and the activities you used to enjoy.
Using stimulants
risky activities, or physical painto feel alive and counteract the empty feeling inside of you.
Feeling detached from the world
and remembering things. and
Compulsively using drugs or alcohol.
Feeling separate from your body
Or surroundings (you may feel like you’re watching yourself or the situation you’re in, rather than participating in it).
NURTURE YOURSELF
Take time to rest and restore your body’s balance.
That means taking a break when you’re tired and avoiding the temptation to lose yourself by throwing yourself into activities. Avoid doing anything compulsively, including working. If you’re having trouble relaxing and letting down your guard, you may benefit from relaxation techniques such as meditation and yoga.
Avoid alcohol and drugs.
Avoid the temptation to self-medicate with alcohol or drugs. Substance use worsens many symptoms of trauma, including emotional numbing, social isolation, anger, and depression. It also interferes with treatment and can contribute to problems at home and in your relationships.
Take care of yourself physically
t’s always important to eat right, exercise regularly, and get plenty of sleep—but even more so when you’re healing from trauma. Exercise in particular can soothe your traumatized nervous system, relieve stress, and help you feel more powerful and in control of your body
Be smart about media consumption
Avoid watching any program that could trigger bad memories or flashbacks. This includes obvious things such as news reports about sexual violence and sexually explicit TV shows and movies. But you may also want to temporarily avoid anything that’s over-stimulating, including social media.
HelpGuide.org. (2019). Recovering from Rape and Sexual Trauma. [online] Available at: https://www.helpguide.org/articles/ptsd-trauma/recovering-from-rape-and-sexual-trauma.htm/ [Accessed 10 Apr. 2019].