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Few subjects are as sensitive as talking about sexual traumas . Many people avoid talking about it, talk about it, try to change the subject, but the truth is that it is necessary to break this taboo and overcome traumas to get on with life.
Talking about sexual traumas is important for those who suffer from them so that it is not internalized and turns into much bigger problems throughout their life. Of course, this is not something that can be overcome alone, requiring a lot of professional help and also from people who live with you.
And if this subject is so delicate, we need to get into it gradually, carefully explaining what sexual trauma is and indicating what are the best ways to deal with this type of problem.
What is Sexual Trauma?
Sexual trauma can be defined as the result of any type of abuse, whether physical or psychological, which affects the living conditions of a human being during his life. In other words, it is what is marked as a negative sexual experience .
It can be a rape or any act of violence that has temporary or marked consequences throughout his life, affecting the person to have a healthy life and a healthy relationship.
Learning how to deal with these traumas is essential for anyone who has been through them because it is the only way to make the affected person have a better life, without fears, without blockages and having positive experiences in this regard.
Symptoms of Sexual Trauma
A person who suffers from sexual trauma usually has several types of symptoms, most of them psychological and which often translate into physical symptoms. There are also the traumas that the body receives, as in cases of rape, for example, in which organs such as the uterus, the vaginal canal and the anus can be injured.
The cases of sexual trauma are delicate in both men and women, but unfortunately, they are much more common in women and that is why we will talk about the symptoms that they usually present. They are:
- Guilt – The person often tends to blame himself for what happened, which is often the result of shame, which in turn is a product of the type of education the person has received.
- Disgust at herself – Many women who have suffered some form of sexual abuse tend to wear baggy clothes and take a lot of baths. These attitudes indicate a certain disgust for herself and shame for her own body.
- Constant nightmares about the topic – This is very common, since even if you try to hide it, something that marks your unconscious so heavily ends up standing out.
- Suppressed memory – It is more of a defense mechanism that serves to try to hide memories of what really happened. The person who has repressed memory ends up having unusual behaviors when confronted with this type of memory.
- Mistrust – People who have suffered sexual trauma, especially when young or children, tend to not trust anyone they know. It is a fairly common defense mechanism.
- Aggressiveness – It is also the result of distrust and fear that the person may feel from strangers. Aggressive behavior acts as a weapon to avoid any disappointment or further trauma.
- Regular vomiting – These are also more frequent when the person tries to hide the matter from himself. The unconscious, once again, ends up bringing symptoms.
As you can see, there are several ways that our body and mind are manifested about sexual traumas and that is exactly why it is necessary to seek help.
How to Deal with Sexual Trauma?
Whoever suffers some type of abuse must necessarily seek help to learn how to deal with and overcome sexual traumas. It is extremely important that the person learns to express and open up, because, as we have already said, the unconscious shows signs that can range from dreams to physical symptoms such as constant vomiting, not to mention the countless psychological signs that affect people.
So, in order to deal with sexual trauma, the person needs medical help, first. It is the psychologist who will help people take the first steps to open up and to live together normally in society.
It is important to find a psychologist who is willing to do the full treatment and, if possible, a specialist in sexuality. In this way, this will not only generate more confidence, but also greater comfort and, consequently, a greater advance in treatment.
The treatment will not only serve for the trauma to be relieved, but also for the person to be able to increase their self-esteem , improve the relationship that the person has with himself and with his own body, in addition to also improving communication and the relationship with others people, learn to have confidence and to live better in society.
How to deal with blocks?
As the psychologist’s treatment progresses, the person will learn to deal with the sexual, physical and psychological blocks that they have. At this time, it is very important that family and friends are present, as the support of those close to them is, without a doubt, one of the most important things for the person to feel comfortable talking about their trauma . Even to express oneself and to learn or relearn how to live in society.
It is not an easy job or something that happens overnight. The role of family and friends is also not to let the person give up, to think that there is no way or that it is better not to be treated. Moments of relapse happen and people close to you need to be there to do what is best for those who have sexual trauma.
Unfortunately bad things happen in our lives. In an ideal world, we would never have to talk about sexual traumas and how to deal with this type of problem, but the truth is that they exist.
And it is necessary to open up , talk, seek help and understand that many times what you are feeling is just a reflection of something bad that happened to you. Wanting to be helped is a huge step in the quest to overcome this trauma, showing willingness to open up and talk about what you feel, your desires and your fears is another step in that direction.
It is not a simple thing that will be resolved overnight. It is often years of treatment until the person can live with the ease of before the trauma, but it is important that this treatment is constant and that help appears not only from professionals, but also from people close to you. Thus, knowing how to live with the trauma will be easier and overcoming it will be a less arduous task.
See also: Childhood Traumas – Actions that Impact Forever
My name is Dr. Alexis Hart I am 38 years old, I am the mother of 3 beautiful children! Different ages, different phases 16 years, 12 years and 7 years. In love with motherhood since always, I found it difficult to make my dreams come true, and also some more after I was already a mother.
Since I imagined myself as a mother, in my thoughts everything seemed to be much easier and simpler than it really was, I expected to get pregnant as soon as I wished, but it wasn’t that simple. The first pregnancy was smooth, but my daughter’s birth was very troubled. Joana was born in 2002 with a weight of 2930kg and 45cm, from a very peaceful cesarean delivery but she had already been born with congenital pneumonia due to a broken bag not treated with antibiotics even before delivery.
