Write an article based on this "Recognize the physical signs of emotional trauma. Figure out the impact. Engage with anxiety. Focus on the future."
Sometimes particularly impactful experiences can leave noticeable physical traces indicative of emotional trauma. If you have certain symptoms, it could be the case that the painful memories you have are associated with some emotional trauma that is affecting your physical health. No two people will ever express their reaction to trauma in the same way, so it's important to consider your own situation individually, perhaps in dialogue with a mental health professional. Common physical symptoms of emotional trauma are trouble sleeping due to insomnia or nightmares, a racing or unsteady heartbeat, physical aches and pains all over your body, being easily startled, tiredness, trouble concentrating, agitation, being on edge, and tense muscles. These symptoms can be signs of anxiety related to painful memories in the past. Engaging with and learning how to manage any anxiety that arises for you can help in easing the effects of painful memories in your everyday life. The first thing you have to figure out is precisely how painful memories might be impacting your current life. Because particularly impactful experiences in the past can affect you in the most subtle of neurological and psychological levels, you are not always aware of how they might be influencing your behavior in the present. While all of your current behaviors and ideas are influenced to some extent by past behaviors, those that have left painful memories often affect you more than others. For example, you could experience a large degree of anxiety around lakes because of a near death experience in water, or you could perhaps unconsciously avoid certain activities or locations that remind you of a deceased loved one. Whatever the case, learning exactly how such painful memories might be affecting your life in the present in order to come to terms with them and incorporating their effects into your everyday life. To figure out how they are impacting you, take an inventory of how you react to certain things. Think back to any noticeable changes you think you may noticed in yourself between the traumatic event and how you act now. If you aren't sure you can see any changes yourself, ask those around you have different you act or if they have seen any changes in your behavior that may point to the areas of your life the memories have impacted. Whenever you start to feel anxiety in situations that remind of painful memories, engage with the anxiety. Identify the memories as such and experiment with what's happening as opposed to simply removing yourself from the situation entirely. Psychologists have several different techniques for working through issues like this, but two similar and effective methods are mindsight and mindfulness. In either case, the goal here is to learn to pay attention to when anxiety arises. When it does, focus on aspects of the situation you can control, such as your breath, in order to slow the situation down enough to where you now longer feel overwhelmed. Since breathing is one of the things you will typically always have some degree of control over, and it is connected to so many different physiological processes in your body, learning to regulate it can be a great tool for reducing anxiety when it arises. It can also be helpful to become more aware of your surroundings in general. Do this first by yourself at home. Start by breathing in slowly, holding it in, and then releasing just as slow. Try to notice any sensations that arise when this occurs so you will be able to make such connections between your anxiety and your breath during other situations outside of your home. Living in the past and in your painful memories is not healthy. You will never go forward or enjoy new things if your mind is always stuck in the past. This kind of rumination has been linked with depression, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and many other issues. In order to stop ruminating, take part in activities that help your focus on the present or future. Make plans for the weekend with friends, think about a vacation you want to save up for, or think about career or life goals that you have yet to achieve. Anything positive will help you keep your focus from spiraling down into your painful memories. If you are still worried about changes you could have made in the past associated with the memory, think about the ways you can avoid such events in the future. If it was not under your control, think about how far you've come since the event and focus on the positive aspects of your current or future endeavors.