Why You Keep Thinking About Past Trauma, and What You Can Do About It
Key takeaways:
Reliving your trauma by thinking about it over and over again is a common symptom of PTSD.
If you’re having trouble letting go of past trauma, professional treatment like therapy and medication, as well as somatic practices, can help.
Even though trauma recovery can be a difficult process, healing is possible.
Table of contents
Trauma is a reaction to an event where your physical or emotional safety was threatened. A trauma reaction can also occur after witnessing or learning that someone else’s life or safety was threatened.
Trauma can cause symptoms like anxiety, depression, anger, and sleeping problems. In some cases, it can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD is a mental health condition that involves re-experiencing and avoiding the trauma, changes in thoughts and feelings, and feeling on edge.
Many people who experience trauma find themselves constantly thinking about what happened. They may feel like they can’t stop replaying the event, which can be very distressing. If you can’t stop thinking about your trauma, you are not alone. We’ll cover why this happens and how to heal from trauma.
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Why is it hard to stop thinking about past trauma?
It can be hard to stop thinking about past trauma because of how it impacts your physical and mental health. When you experience a traumatic event, your sympathetic nervous system goes into action. This is called the fight-flight-freeze-fawn response, which consists of automatic hormonal and physiological reactions. The fight-or-flight response gets you ready to either face the trauma head-on or run away from it.
In some cases, you may freeze instead or automatically resort to a fawn response. This is when you try to appease the perpetrator to avoid being hurt. It is your body’s survival instinct.
Once the traumatic event is over, your parasympathetic nervous system begins helping your body recover from the fight-or-flight response. In some cases, the parasympathetic nervous system may not work as effectively — especially when you experience multiple traumas. This makes it difficult to emotionally recover and harder to stop thinking about your trauma.
Thinking about a trauma over and over again is a symptom of PTSD. People who go on to develop PTSD after a traumatic event will re-experience the trauma in at least one of the following ways:
Nightmares
Unwanted memories
Distress when exposed to triggers related to the event
Even people who do not have PTSD but have experienced a traumatic event may find themselves re-experiencing it in the present moment.
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What should you do if past trauma is interrupting your daily life?
For some people, symptoms due to a past trauma can interfere with daily life. If you are having trouble coping with your past trauma, you may benefit from mental health treatment.
Treatment for trauma reactions and PTSD may include therapy and medications. And there are things you can do on your own to help manage your trauma response.
Therapy
Therapy involves working through your trauma by talking about it with a trained professional in a safe space. Over time, talking about the traumatic event becomes less upsetting.
There are several different types of therapies that are focused on treating trauma, including:
Cognitive processing therapy
Somatic therapies like neurofeedback
Medication
Some people who experience trauma may benefit from medication in addition to therapy. Certain antidepressants can help decrease symptoms of PTSD and reduce depression and anxiety.
Medications that are commonly used to treat PTSD and trauma reactions include:
Fluoxetine (Prozac)
Sertraline (Zoloft)
Paroxetine (Paxil)
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
Alternative healing practices
Recently, sensory and somatic practices have received a lot of attention for their role in helping people recover from trauma. These practices include:
Art
Music
Dance
These practices help you to release emotions related to trauma that are stored in the body. While doing these practices on your own can be healing, you may find it helpful to work with a somatic therapist who is trained in this area.
Self-care
When it comes to recovering from trauma, it’s important to focus on self-care and reducing stress. You can do this by:
Eating a balanced diet
Exercising or moving your body in some way
Getting enough sleep
Staying connected with positive sources of support
Avoiding self-medication with alcohol and drugs
How can you manage unwanted or intrusive thoughts?
Unwanted and intrusive thoughts are a common symptom of experiencing past trauma and PTSD. It may seem counterintuitive, but the most effective way to cope with intrusive thoughts is to stop trying to control them.
Identify the intrusive thought
The first step is identifying a thought, image, or memory as intrusive. If you have a thought that is upsetting and hard to control, then it could be an intrusive thought.
Accept the thought without judgment
When you have an intrusive thought, it’s normal to want to push it away. But this is often ineffective. The thought may return even stronger. Instead, accept that the thought is there. Remember that intrusive thoughts are just thoughts and cannot make you do anything.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is the act of being aware of the present moment. It is a powerful tool for managing trauma reactions and coping with intrusive thoughts. When you experience an intrusive thought, label it as one. From there, you can imagine releasing the thought.
Some people visualize their thoughts as a leaf on a river or a cloud in the sky and imagine letting them go by. Then bring your attention to the present moment by focusing on your breathing. Also notice any sights, sounds, tastes, or smells in your environment.
Another helpful way to practice mindfulness is to focus on what you’re experiencing right now. Notice what you see, hear, feel, and smell. Recognize that what you’re experiencing right now is different from the traumatic event. This can help remind you that the trauma isn’t happening anymore. It happened in the past.
Repeat the process
Coping with intrusive thoughts is a process that takes time. You may find some relief and then notice your thoughts coming back again. It’s important to continue to practice the skills described above. Over time, you should notice a decrease in the frequency and intensity of your thoughts.
What happens if you don't treat trauma?
As previously mentioned, when you are exposed to a traumatic event, the body goes into the fight-or-flight response. After the experience is over, you should recover. However, sometimes the body can get stuck in this response and continue as if the trauma is still happening.
Through decades of research, experts have found that trauma can actually be stored in the body. This means that holding onto trauma can have direct effects on your physical and mental health.
For example, untreated childhood trauma can lead to:
Chronic health conditions in adulthood
Memory problems
Aggression
Difficulty coping with stress
Poor impulse control
Experiencing trauma can also lead to PTSD and other mental health disorders, like anxiety and depression. And unresolved trauma is linked to self-medicating through substance use.
Trying to ignore or repress trauma can make things worse. Though it can be difficult to work through your trauma, it is worth it in the long run. Healing from trauma with the right treatment and support is possible.
How to get help for past trauma
To get help for past trauma or PTSD, you can:
Ask your healthcare provider for a referral.
Search SAMHSA’s online directory of treatment programs.
Contact the VA if you are a veteran.
Contact your health insurance company for a list of treatment providers and programs.
If you are experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
The bottom line
After experiencing a traumatic event, you may find yourself thinking about it over and over again. This is a common symptom of a trauma reaction or PTSD. Trauma can get stored in the body and continue to affect you long after the event occurred. Healing can help you stop thinking about past trauma. Alternative approaches as well as professional treatment like therapy and medication can help you recover.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Psychological Association. (2017). Medications for PTSD.
Bessel Van Der Kolk M.D. (n.d.). The Body Keeps The Score - Explore.
Brooks, E., et al. (n.d.). Healing the body and mind: Sensory and somatic interventions for interpersonal trauma. Indiana University School of Health and Human Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy.
Child Welfare Information Gateway. (n.d.). Parenting a child who has experienced trauma. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Grinage, B. D. (2003). Diagnosis and management of post-traumatic stress disorder. American Family Physician.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Coping with traumatic events.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Post-traumatic stress disorder.
Salamon, M. (2023). What is somatic therapy? Harvard Health Publishing.
Seif, M., et al. (2018). Unwanted intrusive thoughts. Anxiety and Depression Association of America.
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs. (2023). PTSD treatment basics.
For additional resources or to connect with mental health services in your area, call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357. For immediate assistance, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988, or text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.
