I will never forget the moment my best friend Cassie looked at me and said, “You are depressed, and I’m tired of us not talking about it.” I was shocked. I had spent the last several months trying to portray the positive, upbeat person that most of my friends knew me to be. Everyone around me thought I was having a great time! Everyone except for Cassie, who somehow had the ability to read me like a book.
It's likely that trauma has touched all of our lives, whether through our own experiences or the experiences of people we know. Over 70% of adults in the United States have experienced trauma at some point in their lives. The biggest question, though, is how do we cope with the trauma we go through? Once we have made it through our experiences, we must then take a look at what the healing process looks like, and how we move forward.
It can be easy to get caught up in your emotions as you’re feeling them. Most people don’t think about what emotions they are dealing with, but taking the time to really identify what you’re feeling can help you to better cope with challenging situations.
When life gets difficult, where do you find peace and hope? What sustains you? Is there anybody who truly understands your situation? All of us have strengths and resources we use to get through hard times, to feel good, and to flourish. Taking time to identify and remember these resources will benefit your mental health!