 Hey there Psych2GoFriends, we're back to help you understand everyday psychology better. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress from a situation that exceeds one's ability to cope, such as the death of a loved one, the end of a meaningful relationship, or the rejection of a loved one. Do you pretend that everything's good when it really isn't? When you don't have a positive and healthy way of dealing with your trauma, you end up repressing your negative emotions. It can be hard to recognize unresolved trauma on the surface, especially within ourselves, so here are 9 signs you're still suffering from unhealed trauma. 1. You resist positive change. When something good comes into your life, is your first instinct to be suspicious of it? You have an innate feeling of shame or guilt whenever you allow yourself to grow attached to someone or celebrate your own success? Also, you might be carrying unresolved trauma within you. You have a hard time accepting positive change and may even try to resist it at first, because deep down inside, you feel like you don't deserve to be happy. 2. You need to plan for everything. Do you have a need to stay completely in control? Do you feel frustrated and lost whenever things don't go the way you expect? Your need for control is most likely rooted in a traumatic experience that left you feeling helpless and vulnerable. As a result, you micro-manage everything and worry about the things that are out of your control. This shows that you have a deep-seated distrust in both yourself and the world in general. 3. You have a strong fear of failure. Being afraid of failure is a normal part of human nature. However, a strong fear of failure can be unhealthy if it starts to outweigh your motivation to succeed. Not only do you miss out on a lot of opportunities and stifle your creativity and ambition because of it, but it can also lead to perfectionism and insecurity. It might be instilled in you by unresolved trauma that causes you to have a negative belief in yourself and internalize your shortcomings. 4. You have a strong fear of success. Alternately, repressed trauma can also manifest through a strong fear of success. Did you ever hold yourself back from getting something you wanted? Not because you feared you might not get it, but because you feared what would happen when you did. You're afraid of losing what you'll have even before you achieve it. The tendency to unconsciously sabotage your own chances of success is often associated with those who were abandoned or lost a loved one at a young age. 5. You have difficulty concentrating. Trauma has a lot of damaging psychological effects and it's not uncommon for victims to suddenly have difficulty concentrating. If you've been having gaps in your memory, lacking out often, and finding it hard to keep your train of thought, it might be your mind crying out to you for help, asking you to work through your trauma. 6. You have trouble asking for help. Do you have trouble opening up to others about what happened to you? If you've experienced some form of abuse or mistreatment, you usually struggle with asking for help. You'd rather suffer in silence because you're too afraid to reach out to someone else. You don't want to be rejected, denied, judged, or seen as weak by those around you. 7. You often hurt yourself or others. You lash out at other people when you're experiencing intense emotions, you push your loved ones away and isolate yourself whenever you have to deal with a problem. If you're still hurting from unhealed trauma, there are times when you might end up taking it out on yourself or those you care about. You become emotionally volatile, out of control and overly sensitive. You lose your temper, break things, and may even resort to self-harm. 8. You struggle with low self-esteem. There are a lot of ways trauma can skew your self-image, especially if it's rooted in your early childhood experiences. Abuse, abandonment, and neglect can all lead you to question your own self-worth. You struggle to feel good about yourself if the abuse was inflicted upon you by someone you loved. Studies have shown that patients with PTSD often suffer from low self-esteem and feelings of worthlessness. 9. You have unexplained psychological symptoms. Do you feel more anxious and panicky than before? Do you find it hard to feel happy or find pleasure from the things you used to enjoy? Have you lost your appetite or have trouble sleeping while at night? According to research, anxiety, depression, disassociation, depersonalization, panic attacks, frequent flashbacks, nightmares, and emotional distress are all common in patients with PTSD. Have you or someone you love ever experienced a traumatic situation? If so, how do you plan to overcome it? If you're still suffering from any lingering psychological trauma, it's important that you reach out to a mental health care professional today and get the help you need to get better. Healing from trauma takes time and effort, but it's worth it, and it's necessary in order to truly move forward in life and find some peace of mind. Please do share this with those you think might benefit from it. Stay tuned and thanks for watching.