7 Myths about Trauma

That Could be Holding You Back from Healing

When most people hear the word trauma, their minds often go to the most extreme examples: soldiers returning from war, survivors of catastrophic events, or dramatic scenes from movies and news stories. While those experiences absolutely qualify as trauma, they don’t paint the whole picture.

The truth is, trauma is far more common than we realize. It’s not limited to one group of people or one type of experience. Trauma is what happens when something overwhelms our brain and body’s ability to cope. It leaves an imprint, not just in memory, but in our nervous system, in the way we react to stress, and in the stories we tell ourselves about who we are.

Despite how widespread trauma is, myths about it still circulate. These myths aren’t just harmless misunderstandings; they can be barriers to healing. If you believe you’re “too broken,” or that “time should have fixed this by now,” you may avoid reaching out for the help you deserve.

Myth 1: Only Combat Veterans get PTSD

When we talk about PTSD, the image of a combat veteran often comes to mind. It’s true that military service members and veterans may experience trauma and PTSD, but they are not the only ones.

Fact: PTSD is a natural human response to overwhelming stress, not a condition reserved for soldiers. It can affect anyone who experiences a real or perceived threat to their safety or the safety of a loved one. Survivors of sexual assault, childhood abuse, car accidents, natural disasters, medical procedures, and even ongoing neglect can all develop PTSD symptoms.

What matters isn’t whether the event “looks traumatic” to outsiders; it’s how the nervous system experiences and encodes it. For one person, a car accident might be a scary but recoverable event. For another, it might leave behind flashbacks, nightmares, or a deep fear of driving. Both responses are valid, and both deserve care.

Myth 2: Trauma Survivors are Permanently Broken

Many survivors describe feeling like something inside them is “damaged beyond repair.” This belief can be one of the hardest burdens to carry.

Fact: Trauma changes the brain and body, but these changes are not permanent. Neuroscience shows us that the brain is adaptable. Pathways formed in response to trauma, like hypervigilance or emotional numbness were once survival strategies. With the right support, those same pathways can be reshaped.

Therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), somatic experiencing, or trauma-focused CBT help the brain “unlearn” responses that are no longer necessary. Survivors often describe this process as moving from simply surviving to truly living.

You are not broken. You adapted to survive. And with support, you can adapt again to thrive.

Myth 3: Time Heals All Wounds

It’s common to hear well-meaning friends or family say, “Give it time, you’ll feel better.” While time may soften the edges of some experiences, it doesn’t always work that way with trauma.

Fact: Psychological injuries are much like physical ones. Imagine breaking a leg and never setting the bone. Time alone won’t heal it properly and in fact, it may heal incorrectly, leaving pain and limitations. Trauma is similar. Without care, it can fester beneath the surface and show up later as anxiety, depression, relationship struggles, or even physical illness.

That doesn’t mean it’s hopeless if you’ve been carrying trauma for years or decades. Healing is possible at any point. Many people begin trauma therapy later in life and still find deep relief. What matters is not how long ago the trauma occurred, but how you choose to care for it now.

Myth 4: Talking About it is the Only Way to Heal

For some survivors, the idea of talking through trauma feels unbearable. They might avoid therapy altogether, worried that they’ll be forced to relive their worst memories in detail.

Fact: Healing doesn’t require endless retelling. In fact, without the right guidance, repeatedly recounting trauma can sometimes be re-traumatizing. Effective trauma therapies don’t focus on storytelling alone; they target how the brain has stored and processed the memory.

Take EMDR, for example. Clients are not required to describe every detail aloud. Instead, they process the memory internally while using bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help the brain refile it in a way that no longer feels threatening. Other body-based therapies work similarly, helping regulate the nervous system without needing to narrate every detail.
For those who want to share their story, therapy provides a safe, structured place to do so. But talking is only one of many paths to healing, but not the only one.

Myth 5: You Have to Rember Every Detail to Heal

A common worry that survivors share is: “I don’t remember everything. What if I can’t heal because my memory is missing pieces?”

Fact: Traumatic memories often look different from ordinary ones. Because the brain’s priority during trauma is survival, not recording details; memories can be fragmented, blurry, or incomplete. Sometimes people remember sensations or images without a full narrative. Others may dissociate entirely and struggle to recall anything at all.

This does not mean the trauma wasn’t real. And it doesn’t mean healing is out of reach. Trauma therapy focuses on your current symptoms and body responses, not whether you can provide a perfect timeline. Your healing is valid even without a clear memory.

Myth 6: Trauma only Affects You Mentally

We often think of trauma as something that lives in the mind; nightmares, flashbacks, or racing thoughts. But survivors know it often shows up in the body too.

Fact: Trauma impacts the entire nervous system. Survivors may experience chronic pain, headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, digestive issues, or sleep disturbances. The body stays in a state of high alert, even when the danger is long past.

This is why trauma therapy often includes body-based approaches: grounding exercises, mindfulness, breathwork, yoga, or somatic experiencing. These methods calm the nervous system, helping the body learn it is safe again. Healing trauma isn’t just “in your head,” it’s a full-body process.

Myth 7: In Order to Heal, You have to Forgive Your Abuser

Forgiveness is a deeply personal and sometimes complicated subject. Survivors often feel pressured to “forgive and forget” in order to move on, but that expectation can add another layer of pain.

Fact: Forgiveness is never a requirement for healing. Some people find peace in forgiving, while others choose not to and both paths are valid. Healing is about reclaiming your sense of safety, identity, and agency. It’s about living in the present rather than being pulled back into the past.

Whether or not forgiveness is part of your journey, your healing is not dependent on anyone else’s actions. It belongs entirely to you.

Moving Forward: Healing is Possible

The myths we’ve covered are more than misconceptions; they can become beliefs that survivors carry, shaping how they see themselves and whether they seek help. If you’ve recognized some of your own fears in these myths, know this: trauma does not define you, and healing is absolutely possible.

Healing isn’t about erasing the past. It’s about reclaiming the present and building a future where your trauma no longer controls you. With compassionate support and evidence-based treatment, survivors can and do heal every day.

If you’ve been carrying trauma, you don’t have to carry it alone. Reaching out to a trauma-informed therapist can be the first step toward relief, wholeness, and hope. We hope to hear from you soon.

Book An Appointment

TAKE THE FIRST STEP TOWARD HEALING

Your mental health matters. Let Dimensions Counseling Center in Johnson City, TN help you regain balance and well-being with compassionate, expert care.

Book An Appointment