Trauma isn't just something that happens in the past—it shapes who we are, how we see ourselves, and how we move through the world. It’s more than physical harm; it’s the weight of emotional wounds, the things left unsaid, or the constant pressure of having to be strong, even when you feel like you're breaking inside. Trauma is anything that disrupts your sense of safety or trust, leaving you feeling disconnected from yourself and others.

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For many women, trauma isn’t just one event—it’s a series of moments that slowly chip away at your peace, your voice, and your confidence. It can happen at the hands of someone you love or trust, or even within the silence of feeling unseen, unheard, or unloved. Sometimes it’s the quiet things—the rejection, the unmet needs, or the constant emotional burden—that have the biggest impact.

When we carry trauma without healing, it shows up in ways we don’t always recognize. It can feel like being stuck in a cycle you can’t break, or like you’re always moving through life with one foot in the past. Here are some signs that trauma might be affecting you:

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• Avoiding the things or people that bring up uncomfortable feelings, shutting down parts of yourself in an effort to protect your heart.

• Feeling detached—like you’re going through the motions, but not really present in your own life.

• Intrusive memories or flashbacks that pull you back to painful moments, even when you try to forget them.

• Constantly feeling on edge, like you're waiting for something bad to happen, and never truly feeling safe or at ease.

• Mood swings, like you’re being pulled in different directions, from anger to sadness to numbness—sometimes all in one day.

• Trouble sleeping, whether it's restless nights, vivid nightmares, or simply not being able to quiet your mind enough to rest.

• Physical pain, especially in your body’s most vulnerable areas, like your stomach or pelvis, as a silent reminder of what you've been through.

• Engaging in reckless behaviors or feeling disconnected from your choices, as you try to manage the emotional weight in any way you can.

Depression isn’t just about feeling sad—it’s an emotional weight that can make everything seem harder, darker, and heavier. It can feel like something is constantly holding you down, making even the simplest tasks feel overwhelming. You may find yourself in a place where nothing feels enjoyable anymore, or you're struggling to make decisions that once came easily.

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Here are some of the ways depression might show up in your life:

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• Feeling sad, but not just the kind of sadness that comes and goes—it’s the kind that lingers, like a heavy cloud you can’t shake off.

• Irritable or frustrated, snapping at people, or feeling agitated by things that normally wouldn’t bother you.

• Struggling with feelings of being worthless or like you’re not enough, even when you’re doing your best.

• A sense of helplessness or hopelessness—like there’s no way out or that things won’t ever get better.

• Feeling empty, like there’s something missing inside, but you can’t quite pinpoint what it is.

• Overcome by guilt for things that aren’t your fault or for not being able to fix things.

• Physical pain like constant headaches, or changes in your body, from appetite shifts to low energy that just won’t let up.

• Fatigue that makes getting out of bed feel impossible, or sleeping too much in an attempt to escape how you feel.

• Losing interest in the things that once brought you joy, leaving you feeling disconnected from the person you used to be.

• Overwhelmed by even the smallest decisions, unsure of where to start or how to move forward.