Emotional wounds can’t be seen but they can linger on for a lifetime. They have the power to affect your pysche, productivity and overall function as an individual if left unaddressed. Unlike physical wounds, they aren’t visible so we don’t have a surefire, simple band aid for it. 

However, the good news is that healing these wounds takes a few different tactics. So let’s go through how to recognise that you need that emotional first aid kit and how to use it. 

• Living in survival mode

Now survival mode is the state of being alive but not living. It is characterised by a lack of aim and determination. The individual just tries to get by the day and it’s the same routine everyday after that.

There is a loss of passion for the things you once loved doing and you do nothing outside the bare necessities: eating, sleeping and sometimes toiletries. This is most common in bereaved persons. They isolate themselves from everyone and retreat into a bubble where they manipulate their own perception of activities they once loved. The only way out of this is to take a step back, look at the situation, understand that you have a right to grieve, to be angry or to be hurt and feel all of these emotions. However, it’s always worth remembering that many things are not within your control but the few which you can do something about play the most crucial part of your future. You are all you have and you have the power to control how you react to the vicissitudes of life.

• Replaying the situation over and over

Admitting the situation and talking about it is good. You have to admit that it’s there for it to be healed but if you keep talking about it without direction or purpose and on repeat, it’s gone from helpful to harmful. So when talking about the situation or assessing it, always ask yourself, “what am I getting out of talking about it? Is there something I still don’t understand that will help me gain closure?” Repeating things because you’re denying what you already know with the hope of getting a different answer only adds salt to the wound. You undo all the hard work you’ve done before to get closure.

• Being disproportionately angry or sad

As an individual you know yourself that is to say you know what triggers you and what can make you go berserk. So when you’re easily irate or lachrymal over the littlest things which aren’t much of a big deal to you that’s a sign of a possible wound that needs attending. Those are your emotions piled up inside and looking for a way out.

It could manifest in very subtle ways. Perhaps you could be looking at a random painting’s colour and suddenly start sobbing. For a moment it might seem alarming but it’s your emotions trying to communicate to you that some processing has to be done so you can get to healing.

It likely means that there’s something that hasn’t been fully acknowledged and dealt with. You might think it’s embarrassing or you probably thought you were over that pain but if you’re still emotionally everywhere, perhaps it’s time to take a second look and acknowledge these emotions.

• Your self growth is stunted by fear

Part of living or experiencing life is continuing to grow, learning and reaching out. Being hurt emotionally can make you develop a fear of emotional vulnerability. You’d deliberately steer away from relationships because you wouldn’t want to relive the hurt you went through in the previous relationship. This may be safe for the while but you’re robbing yourself of the life you deserve by living in constant fear. You deserve to learn and grow despite the ups and downs that you have faced. The fear of the unknown and the ‘what if’s’ are bound to cross your mind but experiencing deeper connections is worth the sacrifice.

Please remember that your nerves are normal and valid but how you deal with it is what matters. Understand your fear and recognise that the bad things are not the only possibilities.

• Sleep deprivation

The inability to sleep even when you are extremely tired is a clear cut sign that something is heavy on your mind. You roll around in bed all night yet to no avail.

Ironically, getting good sleep is one of the antidotes to heal emotional wounds. It helps your whole body and mind to recuperate. So, tackle this by getting yourself a good night routine that’d induce sleep pretty well.

Here are a few suggestions to get you started making your own personalised routine.

1. No food or electronics one hour before your bedtime.

2. Meditate to calm and quiet your mind.

3. Sip some warm tea with natural calming agents like chamomile.

Persistence and courage are required to heal emotional trauma. Many of us would agree that emotional trauma gets deeper and lasts longer than most physical injuries. It’s a pretty complex state to be in because it’s abstract. As a matter of fact it’s easy to feel like we have no choice but that’s not true. If you put in the the minimum effort your body would budge and you would get past it.

You don’t have to do it alone either. Please reach out to us via any of the chat buttons or the contact us page and we’d be at your beck and call. You are worth the time and effort. So don’t rob yourself of the best life you deserve.

If any of these points resonate with you, please feel free to comment and discuss any methods you’ve tried or things you’re familiar with. I hope this blog post comes in handy. Thanks for making it this far. Enjoy your weekend!❤️🌤