Traumanaut: Authenticity After Emotional Trauma

Traumanaut /ˈtrômə/nät/ noun.

Definition. A person who is willing to face the dark side of their personal trauma(s) are mentally open to healing themselves. They have a genuine desire to reintegrate their broken fragments (behavioral, emotion, psychological) while on their own personal journey to becoming an authentic ‘whole’ human being again.

The journey of healing emotional trauma is extremely challenging for most people. It is a world filled with numerous healing modalities, both old and new, that have shown great promise or demonstrated significant success in improving mental health. Determining which methods are best or what strategies will work for any single individual is critical. Often, it is an ongoing, sometimes excruciating process of trial and error, stops and starts, setbacks and successes.

Some holistic, integrative, and other healing modalities for trauma include acupuncture, aromatherapy, canine & equestrian therapies, creative writing, individual psychotherapy (cognitive, behavioral, humanistic, integrative), group talk, massage, martial arts, meditation, music, nature, neurofeedback, nutrition, plant medicines (CBD, THC, DMT, Psilocybin, Mescaline, etc.), reiki, sound therapy, and yoga. Of course, synthetic pharmaceuticals prescribed and monitored by competent medical doctors can play an important role in trauma recovery as well.

Referencing my own experience as a childhood sexual assault survivor, I had never dealt effectively with its side effects, which included anger, depression, impulsivity, intense mood swings, self-hatred, and addictive, sometimes destructive, tendencies. For over four decades, my life had been an emotional roller-coaster, periods of serenity at times, only to be followed by drama and hardship. Despite my successes, a huge part of my emotional state operated in the shadows.

The light finally came to me with an alcohol-fueled auto accident where I sustained a traumatic brain injury. After that crash, the things in my life literally spun-out of control, especially my mood swings and insomnia. My erratic behavior caused the sale of my successful family business and led me into divorce proceedings. I was prescribed anti-depressants to get my sleep patterns under control and things got even worse. I became suicidal.

Fortunately for me, I reached out and was able to find a support network to help me. Besides intense Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, I found a medical doctor who treated me with pharmaceutical-grade hemp-based products. In my case, it was an experimental compound applied to the base of my neck, containing cannabidiol (CBD). It was immediate relief. My sleeping patterns improved; my mood swings diminished; no more suicidal ideation. I saved my marriage and started new businesses. And as the time has passed, I have been able to diminish the CBD doses to maintenance. It has been a miracle!

No doubt, CBD allowed me to get the rest my body needed, giving my brain the ability to create new neural pathways around the damaged parts. With Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), I learned new behaviors to cope with the ‘triggers’ of my trauma. I am back on track to living a fulfilled life.

In closing, recovery from emotional injuries never really ends. It is an ongoing journey. For me, it never gets better, it just gets different. Different in a sense that old negative behaviors and thoughts are replaced or transformed into new positive behaviors and thoughts. Doing this takes serious effort, a network of support and, many times, continued therapeutic use of medicinal plants or drugs.

I experienced great success with hemp; however, I know there are other types of plants that are showing great promise in healing traumas for humans. For centuries, plants that contain psilocybin, mescaline, and DMT have been used by many cultures to help heal what ails their people, both physically and spiritually. More than ever, now is the time to open the floodgates on using these plants to heal traumatized people. Let us support the continued research and proper use of such powerful medicines. The mental health of humankind depends on it.