You're (Probably) Not Crazy: Understanding Normal Responses to Traumatic Events

image shot at Aro Ha

My first “grown up” job was working in a domestic violence shelter. From there I went on to work in homeless shelters (my claim to fame is I’ve worked in every homeless shelter in Fort Worth, Texas), then foster care, then a research department that formulated interventions for traumatized children, and then a non-profit agency that provides counseling services exclusively to trauma survivors. I’ve conducted hundreds of intakes with survivors who shared what they viewed as symptoms related to trauma. At the end of these intakes, a common question is, “Do I sound crazy?”. My response is usually, “Based on what’s happened to you…no.” What many people don’t know is that symptoms survivors display after a traumatic event are often normal responses. I can’t remember who or where in my journey as a trauma therapist I heard this phrase, but I’ve found it to be true. They are normal responses to abnormal events.

A few years back, a colleague introduced me to the works of a wonderful psychotherapist, Dr. Janina Fisher. Dr. Fisher has written several books on surviving and understanding the effects of trauma. She also developed a psycho-educational flip chart, and the first page displays all of the common reactions to trauma. Here are a few reactions listed on the chart:

• Depression

• Irritability

• Loss of Interest

• Numbing

• Shame/Worthlessness

• Loss of Memories

• Flashbacks/Nightmares

• Chronic Pain

• Substance Use

• Feeling Out of Body

• Self-Destructive Behavior

• Loss of Sense of “Who I Am”

These are responses are so common to trauma survivors that they are written on a psycho-educational chart! When I share this with clients, that’s exactly what I tell them! These responses are just as common to trauma as coughing, sneezing, and running a fever are to a common cold.

A helpful step towards healing from trauma is recognizing that you are having a normal response to an abnormal life event. On top of all the things you carry with you when you experience a trauma, the last thing you want to add is thinking you’re crazy! You may need help treating your trauma the way many people seek out help to remedy a cold or the flu. It may take some time, it may be inconvenient for some of your loved ones or even you, but it is possible to heal. It’s not about what’s wrong with you, but what’s happened to you and how you can work through it. Just know, you’re probably not crazy!!!