Does trauma trigger violence?

Responding violently to stressors in your life can create problems for you and the people you care about. Accusations of domestic violence, for example, can result in serious legal repercussions.

Taking a closer look at your past and identifying triggers may help you gain better control of your emotions. With the right support, you may have a winning shot at retraining your emotional response.

Lifelong illness

Most people receive immediate medical treatment for physical injuries because they create visible pain and concern. However, if you experience trauma and never address its impact on your life, you could suffer from a lifelong emotional illness. Like physical injuries, psychological traumas require adequate healing and recovery. Because they may not be as immediately recognizable as a physical injury, mental illnesses resulting from trauma may go unnoticed.

Serious trauma can put you at risk of developing anxiety, depression and behavioral disorders. You may have suicidal thoughts, violent outbursts and recurring problems with substance abuse. Inadequate access to resources designed to address trauma may exacerbate your symptoms and put you on a dark path.

Reversing habits

Even though your violent habits may cause terror to those around you, feeling at a loss of control can be just as terrifying for you. The Mayo Clinic suggests trying to identify strategies to help you manage your temper. Some examples include using humor, extending forgiveness and knowing when to step away and ask for help.

A variety of resources can help you address underlying triggers so you can regain control of your life. Behavioral cognitive therapy, for example, will assess past traumas and help you work through years of negative emotional responses. The right resources can help you replace violence with control and irrational behavior with understanding. Realizing that your violent tendencies go deeper than your physical actions can help you avoid recidivism so you can reclaim control of your life.