Trauma

Most people will experience some sort of trauma in their lifetime. Contrary to everyday challenges, traumatic events frequently occur suddenly, are unanticipated, represent a grave threat to life, such as physical harm or death, and leave a person feeling helpless.

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What is trauma?

Trauma is an individual's emotional reaction to a traumatic event. Most people will experience some sort of trauma in their lifetime. Contrary to everyday challenges, traumatic events frequently occur suddenly, are unanticipated, represent a grave threat to life, such as physical harm or death, and leave a person feeling helpless.

What are examples of traumatic experiences

Traumatic experiences are those that seriously damage a person's sense of security in the world and give them the impression that disaster could happen at any moment. Examples include childhood parental loss, traffic accidents, bodily harm, sexual assault, military experiences, and the unexpected loss of a loved one are all examples of common traumatic situations.

Types of Trauma

• Acute trauma is characterized by severe distress that occurs right away after a single occurrence and lasts only a short time. A car accident, a physical or sexual attack, or the unexpected death of a loved one.
• Chronic trauma can result from repeated, prolonged, or repeated negative experiences, being bullied, neglected, abused (emotional, physical, sexual), or experiencing domestic violence.
• Complex trauma can result when traumatic experiences occur repeatedly or more than once and there is no way out. The experience includes the feeling of being trapped. It can erode one's feeling of security in the world, which can lead to hypervigilance-constantly scanning the surroundings for signs of danger.
• Secondary trauma is not uncommon for people who work in professions, such as doctors, nurses, first responders, and law enforcement. They can suffer secondary trauma or vicarious trauma as a result of witnessing other people’s suffering.
• Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) refer to a broad range of challenging circumstances that children experience or witness as they grow up before they have developed healthy coping skills. The most frequent adverse childhood experiences are divorce, neglect, and abuse on any level (emotional, physical, or sexual).

Responses to Trauma

What are the emotional and psychological responses to trauma?

• Denial
• Anger
• Fear
• Sadness
• Shame
• Confusion
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Numbness
• Guilt
• Hopelessness
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating.

What are the physical responses to trauma?

• Headaches
• Digestive symptoms
• Fatigue
• Racing heart
• Sweating
• Feeling hyperarousal
• Difficulty sleeping as a result of always being in a state of alertness.

Can Trauma Lead

 to PTSD?

PTSD occurs when trauma symptoms linger or worsen weeks or months after the traumatic incident. PTSD is distressing and affects a person's relationships and daily life. Symptoms include flashbacks, intense anxiety, and lingering memories of the incident.

How Do You

Treat Trauma?

• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) also known as talk therapy is a form of psychological treatment that has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol and drug use problems, marital problems, eating disorders, and trauma.
• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress resulting from disturbing life experiences. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.
•  Medication. PTSD or trauma cannot be cured by medication alone. However, medication can help a person deal with symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances.

Summary

At some point in their life, most people will encounter a traumatic event. The majority of people will recover quickly, while some people may experience shock and distress symptoms. A small percentage of people will experience more severe long-term traumatic effects, like the emergence of PTSD. People with persistent trauma symptoms can better control their symptoms and live healthier lives by seeking therapy and taking care of themselves through exercise, sleep, and a healthy lifestyle.

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