PTSD and Medical Trauma: How chronic pain and chronic illness can create medical trauma from a New York therapist.
Can chronic pain and chronic illness impact my mental health?
The short answer-yes. Women living with chronic pain and chronic illness are incredibly resilient. They are navigating intense health issues and severe, sometimes debilitating pain on a daily basis. Your nervous system is on high alert as you continue to show up for work, parent your kiddos, be a partner, a daughter, and a sister.
You are pushing through intense emotions, like fear of not being able to get through your day or anxiety about your future, anger at your body, and exhaustion. Continual experiences of pain, frightening and invasive medical procedures, surgeries and medical gaslighting can contribute to medical trauma. As a therapist that works with women who have chronic health issues, I understand these issues and am prepared to help you navigate the challenges that arise.
What is medical trauma?
The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies states that medical trauma is comprised of “emotional and physical responses to pain, injury, serious illness, medical procedures, and frightening treatment experiences”. We may tend to think of emergency situations as the only thing able to create medical trauma, however, people experiencing chronic pain and complex chronic health issues can also develop symptoms of medical trauma or post traumatic stress disorder due to repeated instances of serious illness, injury, pain or medical procedures.
Does everyone with medical trauma develop PTSD?
No. But, medical trauma can certainly qualify as a traumatic event defined in the criteria for PTSD. It is important to seek mental health support and let your therapist know how medical trauma, chronic pain, and chronic illness have impacted your mental health.
What experiences can contribute to medical trauma or post traumatic stress disorder?
Repeated invasive surgical procedures
Many women with chronic health issues have to have repeated invasive surgical procedures over the course of many years, even decades. For instance, women with endometriosis may have to endure excision surgery for their disease multiple times. Endometriosis has no cure and the gold standard treatment of excision surgeries can take an intense emotional toll on the individual.
Repeated invasive exams
Woman can take years and years trying to find a correct diagnosis for their pain. During this frustrating process, they are subject to invasive exams. Repeated and extensive bloodwork or repeated and invasive gynecological exams can be traumatizing, frightening, and both emotionally and physically painful.
Repeated medical treatments
Complex chronic health issues or chronic pain often mean lots of trial and error with medical treatments, medications, and therapies. These are costly, can be invasive or painful, and can feel like an emotional roller coaster.
Repeated dismissal of pain or symptoms by medical professionals
Medical gaslighting is such a painful experience that is unfortunately very common for my clients. Women may be told repeatedly that pain is “just in their head” to years later find out via surgery or invasive testing that there was a very real cause of pain in their body. This can lead to difficulty trusting your body, your experience of pain, or the ability to trust in your own feelings and emotions.
Consistent physical pain
Experiencing pain daily sends your sympathetic nervous on high alert. When you are experiencing a consistent internal threat of pain, then your fight, flight, or freeze response is activated. It is easy to experience other stressors more intensely in a heightened state.
Feeling out of control in your own body
Each day can be completely different with complex chronic health issues or chronic pain. Some days you are able to work or exercise, others you are struggling to get out of bed or shower. Such inconsistent levels of energy, fatigue, or pain take both a physical and emotional toll on you.
Life changing complications or need for adaptive tools after diagnosis
Life may look very different after a diagnosis. Reasonable accommodations in the workplace may be needed for you to be able to continue working, like working from home or having more frequent breaks. Adaptive tools like a cane may make life easier on high-pain days. These are big adjustments that may impact how you see yourself or your identity.
What are the signs of medical trauma from chronic illness or chronic pain?
Symptoms of medical trauma may include:
Intense anxiety surrounding medical appointments
avoidance of making or attending medical appointments or follow-ups
Increased feelings of depression, intrusive thoughts or memories about the traumatic event or experiences
hypervigilance about your body and safety
catastrophizing thoughts about outcomes of doctors visits
trouble sleeping
What types of therapy are best for chronic pain and chronic illness?
Cognitive behavioral therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, is an evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Evidence-based treatments are treatments that have been rigorously studied and have robust, positive outcomes for clients. CBT helps identify unhelpful thought patterns surrounding chronic health issues or chronic pain and uses evidence to challenge these thoughts. We can create reframes, or more helpful thoughts and help the brain essentially rewire these thought patterns. This can help you feel more empowered with your experience of chronic illness or chronic pain and engage in more helpful behaviors.
Acceptance and commitment therapy
Acceptance and commitment therapy, or ACT, is an evidence-based treatment that uses mindfulness tools, values exploration, and committed actions to create positive change. ACT can help clients increase acceptance around difficult and complicated life events like their diagnosis. ACT helps us accept our thoughts and feelings in the present moment, choose a path in alignment with our values, and take action.
Cognitive processing therapy
Cognitive processing therapy, or CPT is an evidence-based treatment rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This trauma-informed CBT approach is designed for treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or trauma. CPT focuses on addressing stuck points or rigid unhelpful thoughts about the client’s safety, intimacy, power & control, esteem, and trust. CPT can be helpful for women navigating trauma surrounding chronic complex health issues and chronic pain.
Therapy groups for women with chronic illness and chronic pain
Therapy groups can be a safe, empowering place to share your experience with other women navigating similar life challenges. Women’s CBT runs a weekly, online therapy group for adult women dealing with chronic pain and chronic illness. Our weekly group provides tools rooted in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and mindfulness to address the unique challenges of living with chronic pain and chronic illness. In addition to real-life, day-to-day tools, members are able to share their stories and ask for support from women who understand the toll of chronic pain and chronic illness.
Interested in PTSD Treatment in Washington DC?
PTSD related to medical trauma can have a profound impact on your life. At my DC-based Therapy office, as a trained therapist I am here ready to help you process this trauma in order to begin living your best life in the now. Follow the steps below to get started on your journey to healing.
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Fill out my convenient online mental health services contact form.
Begin your journey to healing.
Other Mental Health Services Offered by Kelsey Bates
You deserve access to an expert that understands women's health and how it can be so deeply connected to our mental health. An expert that can offer you evidence-based treatment and a personalized approach to help you through your unique struggles. I offer a variety of mental health services to help individualize a plan that best meets your needs. These services include therapy for anxiety and depression in both Individual and Women’s Support Groups. I also specialize in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, CPT for Medical Trauma, Perinatal Therapy, PTSD Treatment, and Therapy for Chronic Illness. For more helpful information check out my blogs and videos! All services are offered online in Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, and New York.