What Smith’s Slap at Oscar tells us about Mental Trauma?

Most of us will remember the charming young man in the film The Pursuit of Happyness. You will also remember Will Smith, 53, climbing steps like a 9-year-old child and slapping Chris Rock.

When Chris Rock referred to Jada Pinkett Smith (Smith's wife), who suffered from alopecia and looked bald, Jada rolled back her eyes in shock; Will Smith reacted. He jumped onto the stage and slapped him hard.

The action seemed to take revenge on Chris Rock for what he did and also for his mother who suffered physical abuse in front of her children.

Though Will Smith is a cool guy for anyone to admire, he had a childhood spoiled by violence and trauma at home. Will Smith is not alone for still there are so many who never disclosed their childhood memories that triggered trauma at any breaking point.

When you undergo trauma, it may not be visible to others. But in your body, it can run havoc and not allow you to have a normal life. You may experience sleepless nights.

If you are going through any such experience that causes intense psychological or physical stress it may be due to trauma.

Horowitz, an American psychologist, defines trauma as a sudden event that overwhelms a person’s ability to respond to it.

When you compare the life, we are living today to lives decades ago, things are different now at all levels. Both men and women have access to good education, employment, and a sophisticated lifestyle at a younger age.

Whatever facilities that were termed as luxuries have become essential today.

But, with all the comforts and improved lifestyle, our younger generation faces a completely different challenge that affects them more psychologically.

People may look normal physically. But the trauma they are going through is invisible.

It has been a blow to their peaceful life and it leaves them unhappy without any hope for a good future.

Have you handled trauma in your life?

Are you a trauma survivor?

Similarly, have you helped someone to heal from trauma?

The impact of trauma on an individual may be hidden, deceptive, or visibly destructive.

Trauma affects every individual in different ways. So, understanding responses and reactions to trauma is necessary.

Though traumatic memories are difficult to remove, still some ways are there to manage such situations.

You can choose a therapist who may recommend a therapy that can help you.

To start with learn to identify if your loved ones or friends are going through any one of the trauma-related factors such as guilt, blame, fear, shame, or anger that might engulf them.

The trauma survivors would not enjoy activities they cherished.

They would remain secluded and detached from their friends and family members.

Rita has been reporting disturbed sleep for the past ten days. Initially, her family took it lightly. But when her sleepless nights started to affect her routine work, her mother took her to their family doctor. The prescribed medicines did not help her so their family doctor referred her to a clinical psychologist. The counseling sessions helped her back to normal and she healed.

Meeting a doctor for a consultation has become normal.

Yet, there is a social stigma if you go to a counselor for consultation.

We must outgrow this mindset and accept taking care of mental health is also a priority.