How To Overcome Sexual Trauma: Types, Symptoms And Treatment
Sexual trauma, understood as very bad experiences or traumatic experiences in the sexual sphere, frequently lead to physical and, above all, mental problems through post-traumatic stress disorder.
In cases like this, a wide variety of psychological symptoms are observed, both behavioral, emotional and cognitive, and that is why it is important to seek professional help.
Apart from the therapeutic intervention, the person You can apply a series of strategies to your life to overcome sexual trauma and achieve early improvement in mental health. Below we will talk about sexual trauma, what are the main symptoms that are linked to this condition and how we can confront and treat it.
We understand sexual trauma traumatic experiences linked to sex, such as sexual abuse or rape (in the latter case the action is carried out both violently and with intimidation). These experiences leave a mark on the subject who suffers them, not only on a physical level but also on a psychological level, with these mental and behavioral alterations being the condition that lasts the longest and is most difficult to heal.
We must keep in mind that any act that is carried out without explicit consent, either because the subject is not in a position to express his consent or because he does not want the sexual relationship to occur, will be considered abuse or rape depending on the characteristics of the act.
Symptoms of sexual trauma
Given the severity of the experience, we will observe effects in all or almost all areas of the subject, altering their life at both a behavioral, cognitive and emotional level. Despite time having passed since the abuse or rape, the individual may continue to be affected, especially if he or she has not received treatment for it.
It is also common that, although we observe an improvement in symptoms, in situations related to sex, moments of intimacy the discomfort increases and it is difficult for you to cope, despite being well with your partner.
There is a long list of symptoms, which can vary in intensity or characteristics depending on the subject. Let us remember that each person is different and that not everyone will show the same pattern of affectation, for this reason an individualized evaluation and assessment must be carried out.
Some of the most common symptoms They are: increased distrust (not only towards others, but also towards oneself), emotional lability, effects on social relationships, decreased performance, increased shyness, social isolation, low self-esteem, feeling of guilt for what happened , deterioration in cognitive skills such as memory or concentration, insomnia, sphincter control problems (especially in boys and girls) or substance abuse.
The symptoms that generate greater discomfort are linked to the causes already mentioned, that is, to traumatic situations, but we may also show affectations or difficulties during sexual relations if we have had an experience that has affected us without necessarily being rape or abuse. In the same way, whenever it affects us we must face it and go to therapy if necessary.
Types of sexual trauma
There are two fundamental types of sexual trauma, with their own characteristics and psychological consequences. They are the following.
1. Sexual trauma caused by abuse
The consequences of this type of sexual trauma usually have more to do with the person’s general behavior towards others: a predisposition to distrust and self-blame arises regarding what happened and, in extreme cases, antisocial behavior. If the trauma arose in childhood or adolescence, the likelihood of experiencing school failure and difficulties with studies increases.
2. Trauma caused by rape
In this type of sexual trauma, all the consequences of the previous variant usually occur, and Sexual blockages and fear of sex also tend to arise because of the “flashbacks” that the victim suffers when trying to maintain intimate relationships (although in some cases it also occurs in the type linked to abuse).
How to overcome sexual trauma
Now that we know the different symptoms and the severity that this condition implies, impacting the subject’s functionality, it will be important to identify the symptoms and treat them in a personalized way depending on what their main alterations are.
Receiving professional help will be essential to be able to face and overcome the discomfort. Thus, psychological therapy can help treat different symptoms by applying techniques aimed at improving the patient’s behavioral, emotional and cognitive development. Apart from facing and being able to process the traumatic situation in an appropriate way, these types of psychological interventions will provide strategies to deal with different situations where symptoms and general discomfort may increase or reappear.
In cases where the symptoms are intense and it is necessary to reduce their intensity quickly, psychotropic drugs can be prescribed (under medical supervision) as a complement to psychological therapy; That is, this resource from psychiatry is not a substitute for the psychologist’s intervention. Drugs can be useful to reduce the initial discomfort, but we must subsequently withdraw them progressively, since it cannot be a chronic treatment.
The intervention of mental health professionals can also be complemented with routines and habits What you can do yourself in your daily life. In this sense, it is very important that the patient collaborates, is motivated to promote the progress of the treatment, and does personal work to manage emotions on his or her own, since, otherwise, recovery will be more difficult. slower.
So, let’s go back to the question of how to overcome sexual trauma through actions taken by oneself. Below we will mention some strategies that may be useful to improve the patient’s condition and help prompt improvement.
1. Forgive yourself
As we have already seen, a typical symptom of sexual trauma is self-blame; blaming themselves for having been victims of abuse or rape. Although it may seem contradictory, since it is clear that at no time will the victim be guilty of the facts, It is common that the idea arises of what would have happened if it had been acted differently or if it could have been avoided.
But all these assumptions are projected on facts that we cannot change, and in no case does the victim’s actions justify the action that the aggressor took.
In order to overcome the event and be able to improve our state, it is necessary that we allow ourselves to do so. That is, if we feel guilty, it will be very difficult for therapy or treatment to help us, since our own thinking will not allow us to turn the page and heal ourselves.
2. Don’t be in a hurry
Every process of improvement, of change towards emotional well-being, takes time. Do not get overwhelmed if you see that, despite receiving treatment, you continue to show symptoms, the important thing is that you see that you are making progress. Like any condition, there may be relapses or situations that activate some symptoms again, but these should be a signal to stay alert and continue working to avoid returning to the initial situation.
3. Allow yourself time
It’s good to have time to dedicate to ourselves, to relax, do what we like and be able to reflect and know how we are doing, what is our status. In this way, if we dedicate time, it will be easier to identify the different situations and why each thing happens to us, and to be able to act preventively if we detect any symptoms or sensations that are different from usual.
With this advice we do not mean that you are constantly aware of what you think or what worries you, just spending a little time a day is enough to know our state and act if necessary.
4. Identify your emotions
Although we know the different emotions, sometimes it is difficult for us to identify how we feel, what emotion the situation generates in us. We must take into account that a mix of complex emotions and feelings can occur that is, we can feel more than one emotional experience, and can even show apparently contrary and incompatible emotions, both positive and negative, in the same situation.
For example, we may want to become more intimate with our partner, but because of the traumatic experience we had, we are afraid to face the situation.
For this reason, it can be useful for you to try to identify and distinguish different emotions. By putting into practice an emotions diary, this recognition process will become increasingly easier for you.
Try to exercise emotional identification in your daily life, with the different emotions that arise in you. In this way, when you see some of the negative emotions increasing or those that make you uncomfortable, you can act preventively, relaxing, breathing or acting so that it decreases.
5. Stay active
Staying active by doing activities that you like, that help us feel better, is also favorable for the recovery process. Doing sports or physical exercise benefits both your internal and external state That is, it benefits your physical health, keeping you in shape, and your mental health, helping you clear your head. Likewise, it facilitates the production of a type of neurotransmitters, endorphins, which reduce the sensation of pain and discomfort and help us feel good.
Other activities that may be helpful to you include: perform relaxation exercises, meditation or yoga. They are practices that will help reduce your state of stress, your tension, at the same time that they will help you connect with yourself, to be more aware of yourself and your present.
6. Express how you feel
Externalize how we feel, our fears and worries frees us and helps us to be stronger, to be able to face and overcome all these worries and fears associated with sexual trauma.
Few things solve themselves, and even more so when we refer to events as delicate as the reaction to a traumatic experience. For this reason, it will be essential that you face your state, and a first step that can be useful to really know how you feel and what you felt is to externalize your mental states through emotional labeling.
You can do this act of expressing yourself with people you know, family or friends, who can be support, feeling that you are not alone and that you have people who understand you and are willing to help you and/or with a professional who, in the same way, It will serve as support and through its knowledge and experience it will be able to help you work and train techniques and strategies that can be useful to improve your condition and face the different risk situations that may arise in the future.
