Trauma and Intrusive Thoughts from the perspective of a therapist who treats childhood trauma and high-functioning anxiety

Trauma can produce negative thoughts about yourselves due to the profound psychological and emotional impact it has on your mind and self-perception. When you experience traumatic events, such as abuse, violence, accidents, or other highly distressing situations, it can profoundly shake your sense of safety, stability, and identity.

Why trauma, especially childhood trauma, may lead to negative thoughts about yourself:

👉 Emotional Overwhelm: Traumatic events often evoke intense emotions like fear, helplessness, shame, guilt, anger, and sadness. These overwhelming emotions can become associated with the self, leading to negative beliefs about your worthiness or capabilities.

👉 Sense of Powerlessness: During a traumatic experience, probably feel powerless and unable to control the situation. This loss of control can create feelings of helplessness and inadequacy, which may translate into negative self-perceptions.

👉 Internalizing Blame: Often experiencing trauma may cause you to internalize blame for the event, believing that you somehow caused or deserved what happened. This self-blame can lead to feelings of guilt and shame, perpetuating negative thoughts about yourself.

👉 Social and Interpersonal Impact: Trauma can affect your ability to trust others and establish healthy relationships. This may lead to feelings of isolation, loneliness, and further negative thoughts about being unworthy of love and support.

👉 Self-Protective Mechanism: Negative thoughts about yourself may emerge as a way to protect yourself from further harm. By adopting a negative self-concept, you might try to avoid situations or relationships that could potentially re-trigger trauma.

The great news is that despite these negative thought patterns, there is hope for change. Specific trauma therapies, like EMDR therapy, can help undo negative thinking patterns and have a profound impact on your thoughts, behaviors, and relationships.

EMDR therapy openings are now available in-person or virtually in Texas. You can stop the intrusive thoughts caused by childhood trauma ad high-functioning anxiety with EMDR therapy in Texas. If you live in Texas, book a free consultation call with Laura to see if EMDR therapy is right for you: Free consultation call.