Everyone must have had bad experiences in their past. It can take many forms, from minor things, like fighting with friends, to very painful things, such as being a victim of sexual violence. The incident may have long since passed. However, the marks were still painful at this point.
This is also investigated in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology. The data collected shows that more than 1.5 billion people experienced wars and major conflicts from 1989 to 2015. 350 million of them experienced trauma and major depression. The majority of them do not have sufficient abilities to overcome the trauma and depression they experience.
The data includes only war victims. To date, no data has been collected on a wider range of trauma sufferers. However, a reasonable conclusion can be drawn, that there are far more than 350 million people globally. Old scars that are still left on their feet, also known as trauma, are a source of suffering for many people.
Impact of Trauma
There are many studies on the impact of trauma on human life. Five things can be described. First, trauma is a shadow of everyday life. It clings to a person, like its own reflection. Without adequate effort, the trauma will stick, and make life difficult.
Second, these shadows make people unable to see the world as it is. He always adds or subtracts something from what is there. He lived a dream continuously. If this continues, people can become completely detached from reality, and go "crazy".
Third, living in a dream means living in suffering. People become so vulnerable in the face of life changes. When his wish was not fulfilled, intense pain gripped him. So many people live in this pattern in their daily lives.
Fourth, trauma suffering also arises in the difficulty of forgiving. People hold years of anger and resentment, even when sorry is exchanged. Nor is one able to go beyond the disappointment he experiences. His life is filled with trash from the past that he chose himself.
Fifth, all of this will bring about an imbalance in life. The effect is felt on the physical body. Various chronic diseases, namely organ disorders, will appear, starting from the heart, kidneys, diabetes, and so on. The immune system will also weaken so that people will be susceptible to bacterial or viral infections.
Beyond the Old Wounds
Seven things need to be understood to manage trauma. First, the main source of all suffering is the mind, that is, the mind that is in constant motion with analysis. The mind also often returns to the past or imagines the future. Without a clear understanding, people can think that their thoughts are real, and get caught up in suffering.
Second, emotions are a form of thought. However, he was so strong, that it was felt to the body. It could be said that emotion is a spicy form of thought. Emotions encourage people to do something, whether angry, sad, and so on.
Third, what we need to realize is that thoughts and emotions are not our true selves as humans. Both are how we react to life. It is formed by the parenting style of parents and the environment. It can be changed with the right effort.
Fourth, by realizing this, people will find space between themselves and their thoughts and emotions. This space is a space of freedom. The point is simple, don't take anything that comes to mind too seriously. Think of your thoughts as entertainment that is often creepy, but also humorous.
Fifth, it is much better if we don't touch the thoughts or emotions that arise. Let them come and go, without our interference. Think of your thoughts and emotions like a motorbike or a car passing by in front of us. If this is done, the distance between ourselves and existing thoughts and emotions will increase.
Sixth, this is all done from moment to moment. If that fails, there is another time to try again. Keep going, and don't stop, just for one or two failures. A Zen master from Korea once said, keep trying, for a thousand years.
Seventh, there are times, when thoughts and emotions rush in. It is time to return to the present. The five senses can be used. We can hear, feel skin and body sensations, or just breathe, so we can return to the present. This is what is called meditation.
Old wounds, or trauma, need not be scars that create pain. He can be a valuable life teacher, as long as it is managed wisely. We can learn a lot from various events that occur, especially painful events. After the trauma is managed, real-life can come back to the fore. It is not only full of peace but also full of freedom to bring about change.
Some trauma are very hard to recover from