The Great Depression and the COVID-19 Pandemic are the first things that come to my mind when I think about collective trauma. Each of these events (and more throughout centuries and decades) has left a mark on us and our past generations. Whether through natural disasters, social unrest, or violence/hate crimes – these shared experiences have left an impact on our lives that’s hard to shake off.
When we talk about trauma, words like accident, assault, and near-death experiences come to mind, but trauma can be caused by anything distressing that happens in our lives. When a group of people or communities go through a traumatic event together, that’s when it can be referred to as collective trauma.
Collective trauma – just like any other form of trauma – can have mental health consequences. The fear, grief, and distress we experience from the aftermath of the trauma can stay with us for life and direct how we behave, think, and act going forward.
Today’s article covers what is collective trauma, how it impacts our lives, and how we can cope with it and move on afterward.
What Is Collective Trauma?
Collective trauma is when a community or a group of people face a traumatic event and experience similar impacts as a group. This kind of trauma can change a whole community at once – how it works and how the relationships are carried out in a community.
Some common examples of collective trauma that you might’ve seen or heard as a community can be;
- The 9/11 attack
- The “Black Lives Matter” social campaign
- Asian hate crimes
- Discrimination against Native Americans, Black Americans, and Jews
- The Holocaust
- Mass shootings
- Natural disasters
- COVID-19 pandemic
2020 Pandemic And Collective Trauma
If I talk about the COVID-19 pandemic, that’s a perfect and most recent example of collective trauma. The impact of the pandemic on our lives caused us to feel isolated and lonely. The financial setback that many people experienced during that time was devastating and left many with unhealthy habits and coping mechanisms such as substance use.
While we were living in a traumatic world, there was hope with virtual connection, frequent updates on the virus, and finding a community to express and cope with shared experiences, fears, and even the stress of being practically disconnected from our loved ones.
The Impact of Collective Trauma on Well-Being
Collective trauma can impact our lives, well-being, and the health of a community in various ways. These impacts aren’t always felt by all in the same capacity, but there’s no doubt about the mark it leaves on each person and their well-being. Here are some common effects of collective trauma;
Collective trauma can impact our mental health first. It’s rarely about how a traumatic experience affects us externally, but internally. When a traumatic event occurs, the first aspect of well-being to get hit is our mental health. When you’re mentally strong, you can better defend yourself from the collective trauma and its impact, but when you’re unprepared, it can lead to conditions such as PTSD, addiction, and depression.
Intergenerational trauma is another example (or rather, an effect) of collective trauma. When a group of people or community experiences trauma, they develop a certain kind of unprocessed fear that is typically passed down in generations. The impact of this trauma can be vast, as many people might not even understand the cause of their trauma and fear.
Another aspect of our well-being that’s hit by collective trauma is our relationships. When you have a happy relationship, you are more likely to heal and process uncomfortable feelings and situations better. However, when you’re in a toxic or unhealthy relationship, it can increase the feelings of fear along with the trauma symptoms.
While collective trauma affects a whole group of people, each person in the group or community experiences symptoms of trauma differently. In any case, the common collective trauma symptoms can include;
- Increased feelings of stress, grief, and depression
- Sudden episodes of panic and intense fear
- Experiencing nightmares, night terrors, and sleep disorders
- Experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder
- Feelings of disconnect from reality and thoughts
- Increased feelings of anxiety
- Intense feelings of sadness
- Experiencing social isolation
- Feeling a loss of interest in once-enjoyable activities
How to Cope With Collective Trauma?
Just because you’ve lived through a collective trauma, doesn’t mean you can’t heal. With the right support system and strategies, you and your community can move forward from trauma. Here are some ways you can cope with collective trauma;
The first step is to understand what’s happening. Becoming aware of your current situation can help you understand how to protect yourself and your loved ones. You can start by researching on the internet, talking to a counselor, and becoming aware of your feelings with mindfulness or journaling.
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Work on Building Resilience
Next, you need to work on building resilience and strengthening your defenses to cope with your uncomfortable feelings. When you know your feelings, you can express them naturally. Talk to a friend, family member, or a support group person about your feelings. You need to be able to understand your feelings to build resilience, so find ways to do so.
When we’re stressed or overwhelmed, it becomes easy to ignore our health and needs. Make sure you don’t do that. Focus on your needs and take care of yourself when you’re dealing with the aftermath of collective trauma. Make sure you get enough sleep, eat healthy meals, and exercise as much as you can.
Next, you need to find your community to feel a sense of belonging. This step will help you feel less alone in dealing with collective trauma. When you know others are going through similar experiences can make you feel comfortable expressing your emotions and move towards healing. You can find a community through yoga classes, support groups, or online communities.
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Seek a Trauma-Informed Therapist
It’s not always easy to share your uncomfortable feelings with everyone. But, this step is as important as seeking a doctor when you’re sick. If you’re living through a collective trauma experience, then it’s recommended that you speak to a trauma-informed therapist who can help you explore your feelings without judgment and scorn.
A trauma therapist can help you address your feelings with approaches such as;
- Eye Movement Desensitizing and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Somatic therapy
- Mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques, and more
- Practice Grounding Exercises
Another way to deal with collective trauma is to practice grounding exercises. By staying in the present moment, you can reduce the psychological impact of trauma such as stress, anxiety, and depression. You can practice exercises such as counting your breaths, listening to your favorite song, noticing things around you, or practicing the 5-4-3-2-1 technique.
- Volunteer in the Community
To cope with collective trauma, you can also volunteer and give back to the community that’s going through the same effects. You can volunteer to clean up after a natural disaster, offer financial aid to struggling people, or work in a homeless shelter or soup kitchen to feed people. Helping others can help you reduce your anxiety and make you feel connected with the community once more.
It’s not easy to live through a traumatic event, and if you or your loved ones are struggling to cope with the impact of collective trauma, then don’t hesitate to seek help and support from a professional.
Wrapping Up…
Collective trauma is when a group of people or a community experiences a traumatic event together. From natural disasters to man-made ones, collective trauma can impact anyone. In any case, this kind of trauma can leave us with marks and conditions such as depression, sadness, helplessness, and grief.
It’s not easy to deal with collective trauma, but there are always ways to process trauma and begin healing.
Know that you don’t have to cope with collective trauma by yourself. With the help of your loved ones, therapists, and self-help strategies, you can learn to move forward and heal from trauma symptoms. Get involved in the community, know your situation, and seek help when needed.
Asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness, but one of strength and resilience. So fight for your way and come out stronger than ever.
I hope this article helped you understand the impact of collective trauma and how to heal from it. Let me know your thoughts and comments in the section below. We love hearing from you!
Take Care!
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