How do I know if I have unresolved trauma?

Some signs of unresolved trauma include chronic anxiety, emotional numbness, hyper-vigilance, rumination, flashbacks or intrusive thoughts, body pain without a clear cause, and feeling stuck in survival mode. People who have experienced trauma also tend to have relationship difficulties and may notice patterns of shame, avoidance, distrust and engaging in harmful/ risky behaviours.

PTSD and C-PTSD symptoms are grouped into four types: intrusive flashbacks, avoidance, negative changes in thinking and mood, and changes in physical and emotional reactions.

Trauma responses don’t look the same for everyone, and they often shift over time. Many people experience symptoms from all four categories, and they often overlap or influence one another.

Understanding these symptom clusters can help you begin to map your experience and recognize how these signs show up in your own life. It can also support you in acknowledging what's behind each of them and identify what you need so you can move towards healing and recovery. (A more in-depth post with the diagnostic criteria for PTSD in the DSM-5 here)

Flashbacks & Intrusions:

These are most commonly represented in media as memory flashbacks that show up as vivid nightmares or hallucinations of the traumatic events that are brought on by triggering sights, sounds, smells, places, people, experiences of touch or even seasons.

There are other two other types of intrusions and flashbacks that are less commonly discussed.

Emotional flashbacks which are characterized by intense feelings, like fear, sadness, or anger. These can be triggered by having one of these feelings brought on by a seemingly unrelated event. These flashbacks can feel overwhelming and disrupt daily functioning, leading to feelings of being overwhelmed, dysregulation, or like something is wrong. 

Physical flashbacks are another type of flashback that shows up as more physical responses to triggers they manifest physically, with symptoms like a racing heart, difficulty breathing, sweating, or a feeling of detachment from the body. 

The common thread between each type of intrusion is that they pull you into the past and are unwanted/involuntary. There is often overlap between these types of flashbacks but it can be helpful to understand each one as the triggers can look very different for each. You can learn about them in more detail here.

Avoidance

This is one of the most common trauma responses and one of the most misunderstood. If someone mainly uses avoidance as a survival strategy in their life (even prior to a traumatic incident) they are more likely to develop PTSD symptoms.

When the brain and body begin avoiding anything that reminds them of the event, consciously or unconsciously this can reinforce symptoms by signalling the individual that the memories are in fact dangerous. This can impede the natural recovery process that would allow for heightened arousal to decrease over time.

Avoidance behaviours include avoiding people, places, or situations that remind you of the trauma, avoiding talking about the trauma or feeling emotions altogether, Using substances or risky behaviours to numb out emotions or staying detached.

Avoidance can bring temporary relief but long term, it reinforces the belief that the world isn’t safe and that you can’t handle reminders of the trauma and can lead to isolation and overwhelm. You can learn more about Avoidance and its role in trauma here.

Negative Changes in Thinking and Mood

Trauma changes how we see ourselves, others, and the world around us. These cognitive and emotional shifts are not character flaws they’re protective adaptations to overwhelming circumstances. These symptoms often emerge subtly and may be internalized for years before they’re recognized as trauma responses.

Common signs of negative changes in thinking and mood include: Persistent shame or guilt, negative self-beliefs, loss of trust in others, depression and hopelessness, rumination: relationship difficulties

These changes can deeply affect your sense of identity and your ability to feel safe in relationships or hopeful about the future. (Learn more about these symptoms here)

Changes in Physical and Emotional Reactions

Trauma impacts the nervous system. Over time, this dysregulation can cause a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms that may seem confusing or random, especially if you’ve blocked out or minimized the trauma itself.

You might notice that you are more hypervigilant or on edge, emotionally reactive or emotionally numb, have new and unexplained chronic pain or illness or inflammation, have difficulty sleeping and feel like you are living in survival mode

These responses are rooted in how trauma alters the brain, especially the amygdala (threat detection), hippocampus (time and memory), and prefrontal cortex (decision-making and emotional regulation). When these systems are dysregulated, you might respond to a present-day situation as if it’s a life-threatening emergency. (Learn more about these symptoms here)