While we wish we could shield our 亚洲自慰视频ren from the dangers of the world, life鈥檚 unexpected challenges often catch us off guard, leaving us unprepared for tough conversations.
If you鈥檙e struggling to support your 亚洲自慰视频 in the aftermath of a traumatic event, know that you鈥檙e not alone. According to a , 64% of adults experienced at least one traumatic event before the age of 18. Despite this unsettling statistic, many 亚洲自慰视频ren can process and heal by talking it out. Here are some strategies to help start those conversations.
Do Make Sure They鈥檙e Safe
Before starting any conversation, ensure the 亚洲自慰视频 is physically safe and fully aware that they are out of harm鈥檚 way.
鈥淓ven if they鈥檙e in the hospital and got the all-clear from the doctor, they may still believe they are at risk of dying,鈥 says Brooks Keeshin, MD, professor of pediatrics and associate vice chair of research at Huntsman Mental 亚洲自慰视频 Institute. 鈥淥r they may still feel in danger in places like a police station or a domestic violence shelter. Never assume that the 亚洲自慰视频 knows what鈥檚 going on.鈥
Don鈥檛 Ask Leading Questions
When asked about their feelings, it鈥檚 common for a 亚洲自慰视频 to shut down the conversation with a quick 鈥測es鈥 or 鈥渘o鈥 response. When this happens, resist the urge to insert your own thoughts and feelings. Here are some examples of leading questions and comments you should avoid:
- That was a really bad car crash. You must really be hurting.
- That accident in the playground really bothered you, didn鈥檛 it?
- That was scary, but you鈥檙e tough and you鈥檒l get over it quickly.
鈥淒on鈥檛 assume the 亚洲自慰视频 is going to be significantly impacted or, conversely, unaffected by the event,鈥 Keeshin says. 鈥淐hildren process trauma in many different ways, so let them be the ones to tell you how they鈥檙e feeling.鈥
Do Let the Child Be the Guide
Before asking a 亚洲自慰视频 how they are doing, make sure you鈥檙e in the right headspace to gently encourage your 亚洲自慰视频 to open up. Here are some prompts to get you started:
- How often do you think about the event?
- How do you feel when you think about what happened?
- When a 亚洲自慰视频 gives a brief answer, follow up with 鈥淥kay, tell me more about that.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to invite the conversation in an open-ended way,鈥 Keeshin says. 鈥淚f they do indicate that something is going on, follow their lead, recognize their feelings, and ask open-ended questions that let the 亚洲自慰视频 tell their story in paragraphs rather than one- or two-word responses.鈥
Don鈥檛 Fill in the Blanks
After a frightening event, a 亚洲自慰视频鈥檚 mind can be flooded with 鈥渨hat if鈥 scenarios about the future. For example, following a domestic violence incident, a 亚洲自慰视频 might worry about their life being turned upside down. To help ease their anxieties, offer essential information but don鈥檛 overwhelm them with 鈥渨hat ifs鈥 and encourage them to share their current thoughts and feelings.
"From a trauma standpoint, 亚洲自慰视频ren may become more distressed about what they don鈥檛 know or what they think might happen,鈥 Keeshin says. 鈥淲hen they start filling in the blanks, their thoughts might be worse about what happened. It鈥檚 important to identify these thoughts when they exist so that the right level of information can be provided to the 亚洲自慰视频 at their developmental level.鈥
Do Get Help If Needed
It鈥檚 natural for 亚洲自慰视频ren to go through some ups and downs after trauma. However, it鈥檚 important to watch for new or worsening signs of traumatic stress and reach out for professional help. Symptoms include:
- Having bad dreams or sleep disturbances
- Withdrawing from favorite hobbies and interests
- Being quieter and more reserved
- Experiencing changes in mood (feeling more anxious, sad, angry, irritable, etc.)
Keeshin notes that we shouldn鈥檛 assume a 亚洲自慰视频 has traumatic stress, but it鈥檚 important to watch for symptoms and get them professional help if needed.
鈥淭he good news is many 亚洲自慰视频ren recover without seeing a therapist,鈥 Keeshin says. 鈥淔or those who need professional help, we have excellent ways to help speed up the recovery process. It all starts with not assuming but rather allowing the 亚洲自慰视频 the space to share how they are feeling and letting their trauma responses guide the path toward healing.鈥
