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Mental health

Trauma

A trauma is an unprocessed event in the past. It can occur when someone has experienced one or more shocking events. Think of a traffic accident, death, sexual abuse or violence or witnessing violence. But also being bullied or dismissed.
What is it?

People react to such events with all kinds of emotions, such as sadness, fear, anger, guilt. These are normal reactions to such events. Often, these emotions subside. If the events continue to bother you, it is called trauma. 

 

There are two different types of trauma. In the first kind, something happened once that was traumatic for you. This is called a single trauma. In the second kind, you had several unpleasant experiences over a longer period of time. This is called multiple or complex trauma. 

You can suffer from trauma in different ways. Think of reliving the event during flashbacks and/or nightmares. This can be very unpleasant and cause a lot of anxiety and stress/strain symptoms. In addition, you may start avoiding certain situations and thoughts to deal with your stress and anxiety. Concentration and irritability are also common complaints. Moreover, with multiple trauma, an anxiety disorder or negative self-image may also develop. 

 

What can you do yourself? 

Although putting it away seems like a good idea at first, the problems often come back harder later. Don't keep running with it. Talk about it with people you trust and seek help. Trauma is often treatable. Depending on the type of trauma, it requires more or less intensive treatment. This is usually done with EMDR. See your general practioner for a referral. 

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Self-learning modules

With your Fontys account, you can make free use of online self-help modules (e-health).

Resilience

Could you use some more resilience? Do you sometimes wonder why you react to setbacks in a certain way? Then take this module. In the module you will gain more insight into yourself and why you react the way you do. This is how you build resilience. And that will help you with future setbacks.

Go to the self-learning module

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Note: Bear in mind that the telephone number on the site is available in the UK only. In The Netherlands, you can contact 0800-0113 if your trauma leads to suicidal thoughts. 

Contact team Student Guidance 

  • If trauma affecting your mental well-being, make an appointment with a student psychologist.
  • If trauma is actual impediment on your study progress, please book an appointment with a student counsellor.

Book an appointment