Many people who have experienced a traumatic event know that the annual anniversary of that event, and each year thereafter, can be emotionally challenging. There are always exceptions, of course-- some people can experience the death of a loved one, a divorce, or a harrowing event and not notice any change in affect or physical symptoms on the anniversary. For many people, however, the anniversary can create a sense of angst and side effects: a feeling of unease, disrupted sleep, a feeling of dread regarding the anniversary, anxiety and restlessness, depression, grief and sadness, lack of focus and decreased attention, irritability, and more. However, there are ways to care for your mind, body, and spirit prior to the anniversary, and throughout, to get through it (and even feel stronger to deal with it).
There are more ways to get through a trauma anniversary--if you need or want more ideas you can research the topic of “trauma anniversaries” online, seek professional support, or reach out to loved ones for additional ideas. Bonnie Thomas, LCSW Indigo North Counseling, LLC Copyright 2016 http://www.indigonorthcounseling.com
1 Comment
Jo Chips
6/13/2017 03:14:29 am
Thank you! This is super helpful!! Trying to just ignore anniversaries or trying to convince ourselves we should be "ok" is not conducive to healing!! loving your blog!
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