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Young professionals, especially in the IT industry, undergo a lot of stress that shatters their self esteem and sense of security. They become vulnerable and feel quite helpless in what seems to be a really dangerous and wicked world. Add to this their personal experiences which may include betrayal, verbal abuse or even a major break up with a partner – and what you have is a simmering cauldron ready to burst any moment. Result? Some take extreme steps – like trying to take their own life. Many react by going totally numb, they may just freeze and simply disconnect from what is happening around them. This is just one way of protecting themselves from the world – they feel cocooned and safe with this emotional disconnect.

Some common responses to traumatic events

In any work atmosphere, one comes across people who have undergone traumatic experiences. They exhibit some normal reactions like guilt and self blame, become insomniacs, are always on edge and anxious about everything, show withdrawal symptoms, suffer from severe loss of appetite, have great difficulty in concentrating and focusing on the job on hand, have extreme unexplained mood swings and bouts of depression. Though time does play a healing part in most cases, there are some who get repeatedly troubled by those memories which somehow, they can’t seem to get out of their system.

When is it time to take professional help? If you are one of those who is having continuous problems adjusting at work and home, if there is a nagging feeling of fear that leads to high anxiety, if bad memories refuse to leave your mind and continue to haunt you and if you are trying to block out these memories and not succeeding, it is certainly time for you to consult a psychologist.

Are you someone who is affected by emotional trauma?

• Do you need caffeine, alcohol or a puff to uplift your spirits or take your mind off problems?
• Do you suffer from chronic ailments that seem to have no cure in sight?
• Do you resort to watching TV, or get glued to your mobile or computer to avoid thinking about certain things?
• Do you consciously avoid doing things which you are quite capable of executing?
• Do you need to constantly prove yourself in order to have self esteem?
• Do you do things that are totally against your nature and which you might regret later?
• Are you a victim of sudden mysterious ailments that appear and disappear with alarming regularity?
• Does your concentration wander? Is your attention span really small?
• Do you react violently to situations and feel totally stressed out with nausea, palpitation and dizziness?
• Do you find it difficult to trust people – even your own?
• Are you subject to bouts of unexplained depression?
• Are you a person who can never make a commitment to any relationship?

Even if you can recognize a few of these symptoms in yourself, please understand that you might be suffering from some kind of emotional trauma that needs immediate attention. It is better to nip it in the bud by consulting a good professional who can help you get over the trauma before it takes over your life.