 Hey psych2goers, welcome back to our channel. Thank you all so much for the love that you've given us. Your ongoing support is helped us make psychology and mental health more accessible to everyone. So, thank you. Now, let's continue. Have you been through a traumatic event in your life? Are you possibly struggling to heal from this event? An estimated 70% of adults in the US have experienced at least one traumatic event during their lifetime. Traumatic events include any form of abuse. Road accidents, medical emergencies, invasive medical procedures, natural disasters, social unrest, loss, grief, and cultural, intergenerational, and historical trauma. The lasting effects of trauma include negative self-talk and low self-esteem. To help you become more aware of yourself, here are six harmful beliefs about trauma that can hurt your mental health. As a quick disclaimer, we wanted to let you know that this video is for informative purposes only and is not meant to diagnose PTSD. If you think you need help, reaching out to a mental health professional is important. Okay, let's begin. Number one, you're defined by your past. It's easy to compare your current self to the person you were before the traumatic event happened. If a traumatic event happened over a long period of time, like in an abusive relationship, it can be hard to separate your personality from the things you did to adapt during the traumatic event. But while this traumatic event will always be a part of your story, you're not wholly defined by what happened to you. Spending too much time reliving your past is what limits your ability to heal, grow, and work towards building your future. Number two, your trauma makes you think you're damaged. Another common harmful belief is that your trauma makes you damaged. This mentality is toxic because it devalues the parts of your identity outside of your trauma and equates trauma with brokenness, when it's really a normal reaction to an extremely stressful situation. Although you will never be the person you were before you experienced the traumatic event, that doesn't mean you'll never heal. It's important to remember that you don't have to go through your healing journey alone. You can seek help from friends and family support groups or a licensed therapist. Number three, you think you have to carry with you the shame of your mistakes. After a traumatic event, it's easy to replay your actions in your mind and blame the negative outcomes of a complex situation on your mistakes. And while taking accountability for your actions so you can better learn from them is good. Worrying and obsessing over your mistakes can lead to a fear of failure, avoidance behaviors, and even slower recovery from PTSD or other traumatic effects. So while guilt is a normal part of the trauma response, it's vital to remember that you can't change the past no matter how much you want to. Beating yourself up over common mistakes can take a toll on your mental health. Everyone makes mistakes. It's how you learn from them and act on them in the future that matters. Number four, you think your trauma or mistakes are what keeps others from loving you. Healing from trauma is emotionally exhausting. Things may trigger you unexpectedly. You may get frustrated with yourself or you may feel worthless and struggle with self-confidence. The healing process isn't a straight line and it's normal to have setbacks and bad days where it feels like you haven't made any progress. All these experiences can make you feel like you're difficult to love or like your significant other deserves someone who's unbroken by trauma. This mentality is harmful because it puts unattainable expectations on yourself that you think you need to meet before you're able to accept love. This can lead to trust issues and self-sabotaging your relationships. Number five, you think what happened to you has to dictate your future. There's no denying that events from your past influence your present opportunities. Some paths may be closed off to you because of traumatic events that you've lived through. For example, if you were cheated on by a lover, you may never be able to fully trust them again. Morning the future you could have had is part of the grieving process and it's also part of the healing process from trauma. But if you find yourself thinking that you can't achieve your goals because of your trauma and the effects of a traumatic event, you may be self-sabotaging your chances in the future you want. And number six, you think your trauma makes you less worthy. Finally, thinking that your past makes you less worthy can also harm your mental health. Living through traumatic experiences might leave you feeling like there's something wrong with you or that the trauma was somehow your fault. During the healing process, it sometimes feels like you'll never be whole again and it can be easy to fall into unhealthy comparisons between yourself and other trauma survivors or even people who have never experienced trauma. These thoughts are harmful because they base your self-worth on your past experiences and not your personal progress and intrinsic worth. Just because you're dealing with the effects of trauma does not mean you're undeserving of opportunities or have less to contribute than those who have never had a traumatic experience. Traumatic experiences shape your life and the lives of the people around you. If you've been through a traumatic event or are currently processing your emotions and trauma responses, know that you are not alone. Seeking help from a licensed mental health professional, support group, or other communities are great options if you need support on your healing journey. Do you relate to any of these beliefs mentioned in this video? I did. Let us know in the comments below and don't forget to like and share this video if it helped you and you think it could help someone else too. The studies and references used are listed in the description below. Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and notification bell icon for more Psych2Go videos. Thank you for watching and we'll see you next time.