What is the Relationship Between Anxiety and Trauma?

I categorized anxiety into two types in my previous blog, positive and negative. The positive anxiety helps us to move on and to get things done. The negative anxiety may jeopardize our personal and professional relationships, and make it hard to move on with our lives. In my work as a psychotherapist, I've often found that negative anxiety is rooted in past traumas. Suppose people with negative anxiety do not get rid of this trauma. In that case, they will experience a much more complicated life than others.

What past trauma means?

Past trauma is when a person experiences a shock due to a challenging situation or a pattern of difficult situations. It is not possible to measure individuals' levels of trauma. Moreover, what may characterize a trauma for one is not necessarily a trauma for others.

A trauma happens due to each person's meaning of a negative experience. For example, some car racers suffer a heavy accident and almost die. They cannot wait to return to the circuit again. Others suffered a similar accident, and they lost their excitement. However, the most common is that a robust adverse event may cause some emotional sequels. Individuals may also inherit trauma in the womb or from past generations, called epigenetic trauma.

Some examples of traumatic experiences include drowning, aircraft turbulence, bullying, and car accident. Negative experience when individuals are in the womb contains tragic death, hardship, and abuse. A pattern of harmful incidents may also become trauma, including emotional, spiritual, verbal, and physical abuse. Trauma that passes from generation to generation is also common in families, for example, a pattern of suicide, addiction, or abuse across generations. It can also heal when one of the members of the family heals.

What are the signs of anxiety that are rooted in trauma?

Anxiety rooted in trauma presents numerous symptoms that may differ in individuals. The symptoms can vary between physical and emotional or both. For example, I had one client who often had to take flights because of his work. A few days before his trip, she presented with anticipatory anxiety, intestinal problems, catastrophic thoughts, and tear outbursts. Another one had issues when going to the dentist. The week before the appointment, she could not sleep and used to have anger outbursts and intestinal problems.

Another one could not go for a car trip as her anxiety in the car was unbearable for her. Another client used to get resentful for minimal things. It made her cut relationships with almost everybody in her surroundings to feel protected against being hurt. All those examples and so many others are prevalent among people. Trauma is commonplace at any stage of life. It can make life tricky and jeopardize their emotional, spiritual, and physical health.

What are the symptoms of anxiety rooted in trauma?

I classify the symptoms of anxiety in three reactions;

1. Physical reactions include sweaty body or hands, dry mouth, shortness of breath, palpitations, sleep disturbances, trembling, generalized pains, restlessness, and nausea.

2. Cognitive reactions: pessimistic thoughts or outlook, concentration issues, racing thoughts, impairment in doing ordinary activities, avoidance of people.

3. Emotional reactions: unbearable worries, irritability, fear, crying spells, and anger outbursts.

Is it possible to get rid of trauma?

Definitely yes! When individuals are healed from trauma, they consequently may extinguish or dramatically decrease their anxiety symptoms to a bearable level. Recovering from trauma means conquering negative anxiety and significantly improving the individual's quality of life and well-being.

What are the ways to heal from trauma?

Unfortunately, there is general misinformation about anxiety, depression, and trauma. Individuals tend to look for a medical doctor or a psychiatrist who may generally use medication to control negative emotions. Medicine does not heal. Medication only numbs people. Once people are free from the effects of the drug, the negative feelings will haunt them again, especially when they experience another stressful event. 

Anxiety, depression, and trauma are treatable without any medication. However, most people are not aware of this. Effective short-term therapy interventions might help individuals heal from negative emotions and resume their life back to normal. Hypnotherapy is one of those effective modalities that, in a brief period, may release negative emotions and traumas from individuals. When individuals experience therapy with a licensed therapist with advanced clinical certification in hypnotherapy (not hypnosis), they will probably heal from trauma.

Trauma Therapy & Anxiety Counseling in the Miami-Dade Area Works!

If you resonate with the experience above, you are not alone. However, you don't have to continue to suffer from anxiety every time something triggers your past trauma. You deserve healing! As a trauma therapist and advanced clinical hypnotherapist, I have developed state-of-the-art techniques to provide healing in the shortest time. 

About the author:

Dr. Noelia Leite is an integrative psychotherapist and a trauma specialist. She holds a doctoral degree in mind-body medicine, practices as a licensed marriage and family therapist, and holds advanced certifications as a clinical hypnotherapist and yoga therapist.

She has lived, studied, and worked worldwide, being a speaker at conferences and collaborating in multiple peer review articles and magazines. Her eclectic and holistic clinical approach blends innovative scientific interventions, healing practices, and spiritual and philosophical traditions.

Her private practice is located in Miami, FL, and she also sees clients online. Her ultimate goal is to help individuals, couples, and professionals break free from any negative ties that may stop them from living their lives to the fullest.