Today’s workers go through a lot of stress. Normally, stress can be dealt with by taking enough rest. In more extreme scenarios, the stress can turn into something more serious and turn into an actual traumatic event. Unfortunately, it’s only when this happens that people start acting, and by that time, the emotional and psychological stress could be too much to handle.
As a worker, the emotional and psychological challenges you might go through require you to heal eventually. Even if the reason behind your stress and trauma is something as grave as sexual harassment in the workplace, it’s not the end of you. With healing and moving on, those negative experiences will soon be subdued by events that make you better and stronger both as an employee and as a person.
While trauma and stress are inherently challenging situations to have to deal with, this doesn’t mean you don’t have any way at all of regaining control over your life. Here are a few must-know hacks to make the healing process easier for you:
1. Have The Willingness To Heal
First on this list may seem straightforward, but it’s actually a lot more challenging than it seems. Healing is an individual process, and it starts by acknowledging what you’re going through and then be willing to heal. This means that you have it in your heart and mind to change your current emotional and psychological state, no matter what it takes. Even if it means leaving the company you’ve worked for and learned to love for year, or even spending resources and submitting to therapy.
The road to recovery entails not giving in to that voice inside of you that may tell you there’s something wrong with you. Even in situations where the stress and trauma are consequences of your own actions, it doesn’t mean that you don’t have the right to feel stressed about it. Shrug those thoughts and focus on how to heal.
2. Understand The Signs And Symptoms Of Traumatic Stress
It's normal to feel scared, anxious, and depressed about events in your workplace that may have caused you a lot of stress. Understanding the signs and symptoms of traumatic stress is very important if you want to recover from the experience.
Remember that symptoms can range from mild to severe, and some of these signs even come and go or in waves. These common signs and symptoms include the following:
- Shock and disbelief
- Shame
- Fear
- Constantly feeling dizzy or nauseous
- Sadness or grief
3. Minimize Isolation
It’s normal to feel the need to isolate during the first few days of a traumatic event in the workplace. Isolating from the rest of the world or taking a leave of absence for a few days or even weeks is considered acceptable, especially if you notify your peers before taking a break.
However, eventually, you’ll have to get back on track and move past that isolation phase. This means connecting with others, opening up and talking about what you’re going through with the people you can trust. More importantly, if there’s a need for it, talk to your company’s HR department about the situation. That way, if any proper legal action must be done, the same can also be processed.
4. Accept Support From Loved Ones
Even if you feel embarrassed or that you don’t want to face other people, remember that your loved ones who truly care for you are always going to be there. If they offer you support, accept it. Who knows, you might’ve needed it more than you even realized you did.
You don’t have to go through the healing phase all on your own. As long as support is given by the people you can trust, don’t try to push them away. It sometimes takes a village to heal a person. If you’re lucky enough to have that ‘village,’ accept it as a valuable aspect of the healing process.
Conclusion
Different individuals have their own healing and coping mechanisms. The hacks above are merely a recommendation of what generally works, and it's still up to you to tailor your approach according to your preferences, circumstances, and also the underlying cause behind the trauma and stress you’re going through. As difficult as it may seem, there’s always a way to move on. This begins with realizing the fact that whatever happened to you in the past as an employee of a certain organization doesn’t who you may be in another company and who you are and will be as a person.