Getting Back To Your Best You: A Guide

Experiencing trauma, whether it was an isolated incident or a traumatic period of time, can take a profound toll on our lives. The effects of any incident can be felt both physically and emotionally, making it difficult for us to return to the life we led before. You will find that the recovery process will be unique to every individual, but there are ways to support yourself through the short or long-term effects of trauma. It is a time to practice self-care and to take steps to keep yourself comfortable, relaxed, and healthy as much as possible. So take a few minutes to read through this guide to getting back to your best version of you.

Physical Recovery

Whether you’ve experienced a physical or emotional trauma (or both), maintaining a strong and healthy body will be essential in your recovery. Injuries or low-moods can both be supported by healthy and balanced nutrition, regular exercise, and plenty of sleep. An exercise to try is to think back to a time when you felt better and what your routine included. This may have been through eating foods which gave you energy, drinking more water, exercises you enjoyed and made you feel stronger or even a habit of taking naps in the afternoon. Getting back into healthy habits and routines which you followed before the trauma can help you to return to a more recognizable version of yourself and aid in physical recovery.

Practical

If you have suffered a trauma which has had consequences for the more practical aspects of life such as being able to work, take care of your family or carry out normal everyday tasks, you need to find support. Traumatic experiences can impact significantly on our physical ability to move as we once did or can bring on mental health issues which prevent us from functioning.

Your support could be in the form of friends or family members who help with childcare, running errands, or household chores. If you have suffered an injury that wasn’t at any fault of your own, you may be entitled to compensation which could support you financially while you’re unable to work. Find out more at www.the-compensation-experts.co.uk.

Emotional

Don’t underestimate the importance of emotional self-care, but the type of care you need may not be the same as someone else’s. For example, you may be able to cope through the support of family and friends who can provide you with a person to talk to, so you’re not alone during this difficult time. If you feel you may need professional emotional support, talk to your doctor about a referral to a mental health professional.

Just as you did with your physical self-care, try to remember a time when you felt content and stable. Did you have a hobby or a leisure activity which brought you joy? How did you relax when you were stressed? Consider learning meditation and mindfulness techniques. Is there a particular social group who makes you feel safe and confident? Visit the places you have happy memories in and try to regain control over your own state of mind.