mental-health/trauma

My body keeps bringing back something I don't talk about

Save

I'm 23. There's a part of last year I step around like a hole in the floor, but my body keeps finding it, heart slamming me awake, sheets soaked, jumpy at every loud sound. Last weekend I made an account on a video-therapy site, then closed the laptop. But I saved it. It's still there.

Last updated: July 2026

Talk to a clinician

Gale can help you find a clinician in your state and request a visit.

Find care →

What this can feel like

I'm 23, and there's a part of last year I don't really talk about, and I've gotten good at stepping around it like a hole in the floor. But my body keeps finding it anyway. I wake up most nights with my heart going like I ran a mile, sheets soaked, and I can't always tell you what the dream was, just the feeling. Loud sounds put me on the ceiling. I take the long way to avoid a certain block. And under all the jumpiness there's this heavy, shut-down grey where things I used to love just feel like nothing. I told myself for months I should be over it by now, that other people go through worse and still function. Last weekend I finally sat down and searched for a therapist who works with people who have been through stuff, someone who looked like they would get it, and I actually got as far as making an account on one of those video-therapy sites before I closed the laptop. But I saved it. The account is still there. That feels like something, even if I haven't booked.

What's a first step I can take?

Offer that she can start with the sleep and jumpiness, not the event Ask what 'someone who'd get it' looks like to her

Common questions

That's how trauma often works, the body can keep sounding the alarm long after the event, with nightmares, jumpiness, or avoiding reminders. It doesn't mean you're weak or broken; it means what happened mattered, and it's treatable.

Look for 'trauma-informed' in a therapist's profile, and filter for sliding-scale or low-cost telehealth. Community clinics and some online platforms offer reduced fees. You're allowed to shop for someone who feels right.

No, and a good therapist won't push you to before you're ready. You can start with the effects, the sleep, the jumpiness, and go at your own pace. Making the account is already a step.

Related

Say it back

How would you explain this to someone you love?

Two or three sentences, just as you’d say it. Gale reflects back what you focused on — a mirror, not a quiz.

If things feel heavy, a person is available anytime — call or text 988.

Talk to a clinician

Gale can help you find a clinician in your state and request a visit.

Find care →

When trauma symptoms need more support

  • —Nightmares or flashbacks that stop you from sleeping or functioning
  • —Feeling numb, detached, or hopeless for weeks
  • —Thoughts that you'd be better off not here
  • —Using substances to escape the memories

Call or text 988 - the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, free and 24/7. If this is a medical emergency, call 911.

This is general information to help you take a first step, not medical or mental-health advice or a diagnosis. A licensed professional can help you figure out what fits.

References

  1. 1. (2021). Why do children and adolescents (not) seek and access professional help for their mental health problems? A systematic review. European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. linkNot recognizing symptoms, a preference for self-reliance, and stigma are key barriers to help-seeking in young people.

1 sources, numbered by first appearance. General health information, not medical advice. AI-assisted editorial content — citations link their sources. Editorial policy

← Back to the health library