Experts define trauma as exposure to actual or threatened death or serious injury. Experiencing trauma can be life-altering, to say the least. Unfortunately, people can experience trauma due to medical experiences or treatment—including experiences related to tube-feeding. Learn about what causes trauma and how to cope with trauma so you don’t have to let it define you for the rest of your life.
What causes trauma?
Trauma is highly personal, and triggers for one person may not be triggers for another person. The following medical events have the potential to cause trauma:
- Certain aspects of the hospital environment, such as little sleep, too much light, constant wake-ups and noise
- Complications related to a treatment or medical condition
- Confusion or hallucinations due to treatment side effects, the condition itself or lost sleep
- Injury or illness that comes on suddenly or is life-threatening
- Mistreatment or lack of communication from healthcare providers
- Pain
- Shock and feelings of loss due to a diagnosis or treatment
Symptoms of PTSD due to medical trauma
Some people who experience medical trauma will go on to experience its long-term effect known as post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. Identifying and labeling PTSD is the first step to not letting it rule your life. Be mindful of the following symptoms that can occur if you have trauma due to a medical event:
- Avoiding reminders of the event, which may mean you delay or avoid medical treatment
- Extreme worries about your health
- High levels of contact with the healthcare system
- Negative thoughts about yourself, the world and your future
- Recurring memories or thoughts about the traumatic event
- Severe emotional reaction when you encounter reminders of the event
- Trouble relaxing
PTSD coping strategies
If you’re experiencing PTSD due to medical trauma, use these tips to help improve your quality of life and move forward:
- Establish a new daily routine that fits your needed lifestyle changes
- Give yourself time to adjust to your “new normal” of tube-feeding
- Journal your feelings
- Lean on your support system
- Learn and practice stress management techniques
- Seek out a support group – in person or online
- Speak with a counselor, if needed
- Use self-help tools, such as Oley Foundation patient and family resources
If you’re experiencing the lingering effects of medical PTSD and trauma, know that you’re not alone. Whether you’re new to tube feeding or you’ve been doing it for years, it’s never too late to seek help and determine a clear path forward.
This educational resource provides general information and strategies intended to enhance coping and should not be interpreted as professional advice or a substitute for medical counseling.
Client-provided sources consulted
- https://cdn.ymaws.com/oley.org/resource/collection/1922BCA6-1D6B-4A15-B166-08706A4C2A92/Oley_2021_MedicalTrauma_Final.pdf
- https://istss.org/public-resources/friday-fast-facts/fast-facts-medical-trauma
- https://istss.org/ISTSS_Main/media/Documents/Medical-Trauma-Clinician-Fact-Sheet-2.pdf