I recently experienced several days of emotional trauma because of something happening to someone I love. I thought I was managing things well. I thought the stress was under control.
I was wrong.
Once the immediate danger passed, and things stabilized a bit, my body let me know it had silently been keeping score for the past few days.
Suddenly, that evening, I started feeling deep aches and pains throughout my neck, shoulders, and back. Initially, I wrote it off as muscle soreness from a workout two days ago. Strange, but possible. But then the headache started. It also became painful to eat, and I began feeling feverish. A quick check with the thermometer confirmed it wasn’t my imagination.
As chills swept across my body, I went to bed early. But in the middle of the night, I woke up from my restless slumber to an even higher temperature. So I took some Tylenol and tried to get back to sleep.
I expected the worst when I woke up this morning and prepared myself to call the doctor if the symptoms progressed. However, I actually felt better and continued to improve during the day.
What in the heck was that all about?
After thinking through a few potential alternatives, I'm pretty sure this was my body letting me know that the severe emotional trauma had taken a toll. I thought I was handling it well and staying calm on the surface, but I guess I was paying a price internally.
I must admit, this all caught me by surprise. I felt like I was in complete control, but apparently, I was not. As such, I kept trying to move ahead with life as if everything was normal. That was a mistake.
I should have taken steps to more actively address the emotional trauma.
I should have been more proactive with a little self-care each day.
I should have stepped away from the normal routine to let myself process everything and recover—before my body broke down.
These are lessons learned that I will remember next time. And sadly, there will always be a next time. That’s reality when you love people, and we are all growing older.
However, I also hope you can learn from my mistakes and take better care of yourself when something like this happens to you. That’s why I share my stories. If I can help someone else, it’s worth it.
Larry Cornett, Ph.D. | Empowerment coach, psychologist, nature lover, and fitness freak. I help you escape the “hustle trap” to create an empowered life that fits who you are and what you want most. From Silicon Valley exec to self-employed entrepreneur, I’ve also followed this path to freedom, so now I can help others find their way.
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