Recently, you experienced a really tough time in your life. It was more than just rough, though. It was traumatic.

This experience may have been some type of loss or possibly something that left you absolutely breathless. No matter what it was that you experienced, you feel different now.

Changing and evolving are typically positive things in life. But, the difference you see in yourself after trauma isn’t positive. In fact, you might feel like you’re not even the same person you once were. This negative experience has washed down the drain the trust you used to possess for others and for life. Your self-confidence, happiness, and hope spiraled down with it, too.

While it’s not uncommon for trauma to affect life negatively, the loss of trust you feel doesn’t have to be permanent.

How Trauma Damages Trust

You View the World as a Bad Place

As you moved from the innocence of childhood to your adult perspective, of course, you realized that the world wasn’t really full of daisies and rainbows. Yet, you still accepted the world, even with all its ugly injustices.

After experiencing your recent trauma, the world seems like it’s more of a bad place now than it was before. Not only is it a bad place, but you feel angry and bitter towards the world for being so hurtful.

Trauma often warps your perception, so you view things as only negative.

You Can’t Depend on What You Used to

It’s not only the world that you can’t depend on, it’s also people and experiences you can no longer trust. What used to be safe and secure is broken and shattered.

You can’t count on life not to hurt you anymore. It feels like pain is always right around the corner, waiting for you.

You might feel paranoid and afraid a lot. Living in an aroused state of hypervigilance may be your new normal. Trauma has a way of making you feel like bad things are out to get you.

You Have No Hope for the Future

Having experienced such trauma, you can’t forget it. It seems to haunt you so that you don’t have hope for the future anymore. It’s almost like a dark cloud parked right over your head.

You might be having trouble sleeping because of nightmares or flashbacks. Relaxing is usually very difficult after experiencing trauma, as well. Although you may not be motivated to do much, you can’t seem to unwind.

Emotional numbness is common, too. In a matter of speaking, trauma tends to suck the life right out of you, leaving your mind drained with little hope for a good future.

Strategies to Rebuild Damaged Trust

Grieve Your Loss

Traumatic experiences are not to be taken lightly. No matter what happened, you have the right to grieve your loss.

You should grieve your loss.

Your heart hurts and this isn’t something that time will heal or you can put a bandaid on. You will remember this event for the rest of your life, but it doesn’t have to rule you.

Give yourself time to feel. Talk about what you’re feeling and tell your story if you want. Find a therapist who can help you locate those complex emotions and navigate through them.

Now is the time to take the healing process at your own pace. Most likely, that pace is going to be slow and steady and that’s quite alright.

Maintain a Stable Routine 

Many people try to rely on a temporary coping method to deal with the heavy weight of trauma. Some go as far as depending on a substance like alcohol, prescription or illegal drugs, or food for a reprieve.

To damage lost trust after trauma, it’s important to bump yourself to priority #1.

Increase your self-care routine. Make a change in your diet if that has taken a nose-dive. Ask your therapist to assist you in giving up any unhealthy coping methods.

Your body, mind, and emotions are all interconnected. When one is deeply hurt, the rest of your being suffers, as well. Taking care of your body is a very positive step to reclaiming your life as a whole.

Rediscover Yourself

After trauma, it’s easy to withdraw from society and to give up things that you once enjoyed. With your energy level being low, getting out and about or pursuing a hobby might seem impossible.

You’ll find that the first step is usually the hardest, though.

Now is the time to revisit old hobbies and reconnect with friends. Trauma will try to overcome you with its negativity, but you can fight back by doing your best to live the life you planned on living before the experience.

You can reclaim your life and rebuild damaged trust.